1. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 16.4, 20.20 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 16.4. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה הִנְנִי מַמְטִיר לָכֶם לֶחֶם מִן־הַשָּׁמָיִם וְיָצָא הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ לְמַעַן אֲנַסֶּנּוּ הֲיֵלֵךְ בְּתוֹרָתִי אִם־לֹא׃ | 16.4. Then said the LORD unto Moses: ‘Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or not." 20.20. Ye shall not make with Me—gods of silver, or gods of gold, ye shall not make unto you." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 22.1, 30.41-30.43 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 22.1. וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְהָאֱלֹהִים נִסָּה אֶת־אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי׃ 22.1. וַיִּשְׁלַח אַבְרָהָם אֶת־יָדוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת־הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת לִשְׁחֹט אֶת־בְּנוֹ׃ 30.41. וְהָיָה בְּכָל־יַחֵם הַצֹּאן הַמְקֻשָּׁרוֹת וְשָׂם יַעֲקֹב אֶת־הַמַּקְלוֹת לְעֵינֵי הַצֹּאן בָּרֳהָטִים לְיַחְמֵנָּה בַּמַּקְלוֹת׃ 30.42. וּבְהַעֲטִיף הַצֹּאן לֹא יָשִׂים וְהָיָה הָעֲטֻפִים לְלָבָן וְהַקְּשֻׁרִים לְיַעֲקֹב׃ 30.43. וַיִּפְרֹץ הָאִישׁ מְאֹד מְאֹד וַיְהִי־לוֹ צֹאן רַבּוֹת וּשְׁפָחוֹת וַעֲבָדִים וּגְמַלִּים וַחֲמֹרִים׃ | 22.1. And it came to pass after these things, that God did prove Abraham, and said unto him: ‘Abraham’; and he said: ‘Here am I.’" 30.41. And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger of the flock did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods;" 30.42. but when the flock were feeble, he put them not in; so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s." 30.43. And the man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, and maid-servants and men-servants, and camels and asses." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Judges, 11 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
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4. Hebrew Bible, Nehemiah, 9.7-9.8 (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)
| 9.7. אַתָּה־הוּא יְהוָה הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתָּ בְּאַבְרָם וְהוֹצֵאתוֹ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים וְשַׂמְתָּ שְּׁמוֹ אַבְרָהָם׃ 9.8. וּמָצָאתָ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ נֶאֱמָן לְפָנֶיךָ וְכָרוֹת עִמּוֹ הַבְּרִית לָתֵת אֶת־אֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי הַחִתִּי הָאֱמֹרִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁי לָתֵת לְזַרְעוֹ וַתָּקֶם אֶת־דְּבָרֶיךָ כִּי צַדִּיק אָתָּה׃ | 9.7. Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;" 9.8. and foundest his heart faithful before Thee, and madest a covet with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, even to give it unto his seed, and hast performed Thy words; for Thou art righteous;" |
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5. Anon., Jubilees, 17.15-17.18, 19.3, 19.8 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 17.15. And an angel of God, one of the holy ones, said unto her, "Why weepest thou, Hagar? Arise, take the child, and hold him in thine hand; for God hath heard thy voice, and hath seen the child. 17.16. And she opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water, and she went and filled her bottle with water, and she gave her child to drink 17.17. and she arose and went towards the wilderness of Paran. brAnd the child grew and became an archer, and God was with him; 17.18. and his mother took him a wife from among the daughters of Egypt. brAnd she bare him a son, and he called his name Nebaioth; for she said, "The Lord was nigh to me when I called upon him. 19.3. and we tried him [to see] if his spirit were patient and he were not indigt in the words of his mouth; and he was found patient in this, and was not disturbed. 19.8. And all the days of the life of Sarah were one hundred and twenty-seven years, that is, two jubilees and four weeks and one year: these are the days of the years of the life of Sarah. |
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6. Anon., Testament of Joseph, 2.7 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 2.7. For endurance is a mighty charm, And patience giveth many good things. |
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7. Septuagint, 1 Maccabees, 2.51, 4.9 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 2.51. Remember the deeds of the fathers, which they did in their generations; and receive great honor and an everlasting name. 4.9. Remember how our fathers were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them. |
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8. Septuagint, Ecclesiasticus (Siracides), 44.19-44.21 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 44.19. Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations,and no one has been found like him in glory; 44.21. Therefore the Lord assured him by an oath that the nations would be blessed through his posterity;that he would multiply him like the dust of the earth,and exalt his posterity like the stars,and cause them to inherit from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. |
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9. Septuagint, Judith, 8.24-8.28, 13.18 (2nd cent. BCE - 0th cent. CE)
| 8.24. Now therefore, brethren, let us set an example to our brethren, for their lives depend upon us, and the sanctuary and the temple and the altar rest upon us. 8.25. In spite of everything let us give thanks to the Lord our God, who is putting us to the test as he did our forefathers. 8.26. Remember what he did with Abraham, and how he tested Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia in Syria, while he was keeping the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother. 8.27. For he has not tried us with fire, as he did them, to search their hearts, nor has he taken revenge upon us; but the Lord scourges those who draw near to him, in order to admonish them. 8.28. Then Uzziah said to her, "All that you have said has been spoken out of a true heart, and there is no one who can deny your words. 13.18. And Uzziah said to her, "O daughter, you are blessed by the Most High God above all women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth, who has guided you to strike the head of the leader of our enemies. |
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10. Philo of Alexandria, On The Life of Abraham, 168-208, 167 (1st cent. BCE - missingth cent. CE)
| 167. We have now, then, given a full explanation concerning the vision which appeared to Abraham, and concerning his celebrated and allglorious hospitality, in which the entertainer, who appeared to himself to be entertaining others was himself entertained; expounding every part of the passage with as much accuracy as we were able. But we must not pass over in silence the most important action of all, which is worthy of being listened to. For I was nearly saying that it is of more importance than all the actions of piety and religion put together. So we must say what seems to be reasonable concerning it. |
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11. Clement of Rome, 1 Clement, 10.1 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 10.1. Ἀβραάμ, ὁ φίλος προσαγορευθείς, πιστὸς εὑρέθη ἐν τῷ αὐτὸν ὑπήκοον γενέσθαι τοῖς ῥήμασιν τοῦ θεοῦ. | |
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12. Mishnah, Avot, 5.3 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 5.3. With ten trials was Abraham, our father (may he rest in peace), tried, and he withstood them all; to make known how great was the love of Abraham, our father (peace be upon him)." |
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13. New Testament, Acts, 5.41 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 5.41. They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus' name. |
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14. New Testament, James, 2.21-2.23 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.21. Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 2.22. You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected; 2.23. and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness;" and he was called the friend of God. |
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15. New Testament, Colossians, 2.15 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.15. having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. |
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16. New Testament, Hebrews, 11.17-11.19 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 11.17. By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son; 11.18. even he to whom it was said, "In Isaac will your seed be called; 11.19. accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead. |
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17. New Testament, Romans, 8.32 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 8.32. He who didn't spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things? |
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18. New Testament, John, 8.39, 19.25-19.27 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 8.39. They answered him, "Our father is Abraham."Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. 19.25. But there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 19.26. Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold your son! 19.27. Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home. |
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19. New Testament, Luke, 2.35, 3.8, 24.44 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.35. Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 3.8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and don't begin to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father;' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones! 24.44. He said to them, "This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled. |
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20. Ps.-Philo, Biblical Antiquities, 18.5, 32.1-32.4, 40.2-40.3 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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21. Anon., Marytrdom of Polycarp, 14.1 (2nd cent. CE - missingth cent. CE)
| 14.1. 1 So they did not nail him, but bound him, and he put his hands behind him and was bound, as a noble ram out of a great flock, for an oblation, a whole burnt offering made ready and acceptable to God; and he looked up to heaven and said: "O Lord God Almighty, Father of thy beloved and blessed Child, Jesus Christ, through Whom we have received full knowledge of thee, the God of Angels and powers, and of all creation, and of the whole family of the righteous, who live before thee! |
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22. Septuagint, 4 Maccabees, 2.18, 3.7, 6.17-6.22, 6.28-6.29, 7.11-7.14, 7.19, 9.6, 9.9, 9.21, 10.11, 12.12, 13.9, 13.14-13.15, 13.17, 14.20, 15.29, 16.3, 16.18-16.21, 16.25, 17.6, 17.21, 18.1, 18.11-18.20, 18.23
| 2.18. For, as I have said, the temperate mind is able to get the better of the emotions, to correct some, and to render others powerless. 3.7. David had been attacking the Philistines all day long, and together with the soldiers of his nation had slain many of them. 6.17. May we, the children of Abraham, never think so basely that out of cowardice we feign a role unbecoming to us! 6.18. For it would be irrational if we, who have lived in accordance with truth to old age and have maintained in accordance with law the reputation of such a life, should now change our course 6.19. become a pattern of impiety to the young, in becoming an example of the eating of defiling food. 6.20. It would be shameful if we should survive for a little while and during that time be a laughing stock to all for our cowardice 6.21. and if we should be despised by the tyrant as unmanly, and not protect our divine law even to death. 6.22. Therefore, O children of Abraham, die nobly for your religion! 6.28. Be merciful to your people, and let our punishment suffice for them. 6.29. Make my blood their purification, and take my life in exchange for theirs. 7.12. o the descendant of Aaron, Eleazar, though being consumed by the fire, remained unmoved in his reason. 7.13. Most amazing, indeed, though he was an old man, his body no longer tense and firm, his muscles flabby, his sinews feeble, he became young again 7.14. in spirit through reason; and by reason like that of Isaac he rendered the many-headed rack ineffective. 7.19. ince they believe that they, like our patriarchs Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, do not die to God, but live in God. 9.6. And if the aged men of the Hebrews because of their religion lived piously while enduring torture, it would be even more fitting that we young men should die despising your coercive tortures, which our aged instructor also overcame. 9.9. but you, because of your bloodthirstiness toward us, will deservedly undergo from the divine justice eternal torment by fire. 9.21. Although the ligaments joining his bones were already severed, the courageous youth, worthy of Abraham, did not groan 10.11. but you, because of your impiety and bloodthirstiness, will undergo unceasing torments. 12.12. Because of this, justice has laid up for you intense and eternal fire and tortures, and these throughout all time will never let you go. 13.9. Brothers, let us die like brothers for the sake of the law; let us imitate the three youths in Assyria who despised the same ordeal of the furnace. 13.14. Let us not fear him who thinks he is killing us 13.15. for great is the struggle of the soul and the danger of eternal torment lying before those who transgress the commandment of God. 13.17. For if we so die, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob will welcome us, and all the fathers will praise us. 14.20. But sympathy for her children did not sway the mother of the young men; she was of the same mind as Abraham. 15.29. O mother of the nation, vindicator of the law and champion of religion, who carried away the prize of the contest in your heart! 16.3. The lions surrounding Daniel were not so savage, nor was the raging fiery furnace of Mishael so intensely hot, as was her innate parental love, inflamed as she saw her seven sons tortured in such varied ways. 16.18. Remember that it is through God that you have had a share in the world and have enjoyed life 16.19. and therefore you ought to endure any suffering for the sake of God. 16.20. For his sake also our father Abraham was zealous to sacrifice his son Isaac, the ancestor of our nation; and when Isaac saw his father's hand wielding a sword and descending upon him, he did not cower. 16.21. And Daniel the righteous was thrown to the lions, and Haiah, Azariah, and Mishael were hurled into the fiery furnace and endured it for the sake of God. 16.25. They knew also that those who die for the sake of God live in God, as do Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the patriarchs. 17.6. For your children were true descendants of father Abraham. 17.21. the tyrant was punished, and the homeland purified -- they having become, as it were, a ransom for the sin of our nation. 18.1. O Israelite children, offspring of the seed of Abraham, obey this law and exercise piety in every way 18.11. He read to you about Abel slain by Cain, and Isaac who was offered as a burnt offering, and of Joseph in prison. 18.12. He told you of the zeal of Phineas, and he taught you about Haiah, Azariah, and Mishael in the fire. 18.13. He praised Daniel in the den of the lions and blessed him. 18.14. He reminded you of the scripture of Isaiah, which says, `Even though you go through the fire, the flame shall not consume you.' 18.15. He sang to you songs of the psalmist David, who said, `Many are the afflictions of the righteous.' 18.16. He recounted to you Solomon's proverb, `There is a tree of life for those who do his will.' 18.17. He confirmed the saying of Ezekiel, `Shall these dry bones live?' 18.18. For he did not forget to teach you the song that Moses taught, which says 18.19. `I kill and I make alive: this is your life and the length of your days.' 18.20. O bitter was that day -- and yet not bitter -- when that bitter tyrant of the Greeks quenched fire with fire in his cruel caldrons, and in his burning rage brought those seven sons of the daughter of Abraham to the catapult and back again to more tortures 18.23. But the sons of Abraham with their victorious mother are gathered together into the chorus of the fathers, and have received pure and immortal souls from God |
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