Testament Of Reuben
1926 anthology, complete selected publisher reading text
Rutherford H. Platt
37 For had I not seen Bilhah bathing in a covered place, I had not fallen into this great iniquity.
38 For my mind taking in the thought of the woman’s nakedness, suffered me not to sleep until I had wrought the abominable thing.
39 For while Jacob our father had gone to Isaac his father, when we were in Eder, near to Ephrath in Bethlehem, Bilhah became drunk and was asleep uncovered in her chamber.
40 Having therefore gone in and beheld her nakedness, I wrought the impiety without her perceiving it, and leaving her sleeping departed.
41 And forthwith an angel of God revealed to my father concerning my impiety, and he came and mourned over me, and touched her no more.
CHAP. II.
Reuben continues with his experiences and his good advice.
PAY no heed, therefore, my children, to the beauty of women, nor set your mind--on their affairs; but walk in singleness of heart in the fear of the Lord, and expend labour on good works, and on study and on your flocks, until the Lord give you a wife, whom He will, that ye suffer not as I did.
2 For until my father’s death I had not boldness to look in his face, or to speak to any of my brethren, because of the reproach.
3 Even until now my conscience causeth me anguish on account of my impiety.
4 And yet my father comforted me much, and prayed for me unto the Lord, that the anger of the Lord might pass from me, even as the Lord showed.
5 And thenceforth until now I have been on my guard and sinned not.
6 Therefore, my children, I say unto you, observe all things whatsoever I command you, and ye shall not sin.
7 For a pit unto the soul is the sin of fornication, separating it from God, and bringing it near to idols, because it deceiveth the mind and understanding, and leadeth down young men into Hades before their time.
8 For many hath fornication destroyed; because, though a man be old or noble, or rich or poor, he bringeth reproach upon himself with the sons of men and derision with Beliar.
9 For ye heard regarding Joseph how he guarded himself from a woman, and purged his thoughts from all fornication, and found favour in the sight of God and men.
10 For the Egyptian woman did many things unto him, and summoned magicians, and offered him love potions, but the purpose of his soul admitted no evil desire.
11 Therefore the God of your fathers delivered him from every evil and hidden death.
12 For if fornication overcomes not your mind, neither can Beliar overcome you.
13 For evil are women, my children; and since they have no power or strength over man, they use wiles by outward attractions, that they may draw him to themselves.
14 And whom they cannot bewitch by outward attractions, him they overcome by craft.
15 For moreover, concerning them, the angel of the Lord told me, and taught me, that women are overcome by the spirit of fornication more than men, and in their heart they plot against men; and by means of their adornment they deceive first their minds, and by the glance of the eye instil the poison, and then through the accomplished act they take them captive.
16 For a woman cannot force a man openly, but by a harlot’s bearing she beguiles him.
17 Flee, therefore, fornication, my children, and command your wives and your daughters, that they adorn not their heads and faces to deceive the mind: because every woman who useth these wiles bath been reserved for eternal punishment.
18 For thus they allured the Watchers [17] who were before the flood; for as these continually beheld them, they lusted after them, and they conceived the act in their mind; for they changed themselves into the shape of men, and appeared to them when they were with their husbands.
19 And the women lusting in their minds after their forms, gave birth to giants, for the Watchers appeared to them as reaching even unto heaven.
20 Beware, therefore, of fornication; and if you wish to be pure in mind, guard your senses from every woman.
21 And command the women likewise not to associate with men, that they also may be pure in mind.
22 For constant meetings, even though the ungodly deed be not wrought, are to them an irremediable disease, and to us a destruction of Beliar and an eternal reproach.
23 For in fornication there is neither understanding nor godliness, and all jealousy dwelleth in the lust thereof.
24 Therefore, then I say unto you, ye will be jealous against the sons of Levi, and will seek to be exalted over them; but ye shall not be able.
25 For God will avenge them, and ye shall die by an evil death. For to Levi God gave the sovereignty and to Judah with him and to me also, and to Dan and Joseph, that we should be for rulers.
26 Therefore I command you to hearken to Levi, because he shall know the law of the Lord, and shall give ordinances for judgement and shall sacrifice for all Israel until the consummation of the times, as the anointed High Priest, of whom the Lord spake.
27 I adjure you by the God of heaven to do truth each one unto his neighbour and to entertain love each one for his brother.
28 And draw ye near to Levi in humbleness, of heart, that ye may receive a blessing from his mouth.
29 For he shall bless Israel and Judah, because him hath the Lord chosen to be king over all the nation.
30 And bow down before his seed, for on our behalf it will die in wars visible and invisible, and will be among you an eternal king.
31 And Reuben died, having given these commands to his sons. And they placed him in a coffin until they carried him up from Egypt, and buried him in Hebron in the cave where his father was.