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Seth in Samaritan Literature

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Seth in Samaritan Literature CHAPTERTWO SETH IN SAMARITAN LITERATURE In Samaritan literature Adam is highly praised. Starting with the words "Let us make man in our image and after our likeness" (Gen. I, 26), the Samaritan writing Molad Mosheb teIls us that God took his light and placed it shining between the eyes of Adam. After that God fashioned Adam out of dust and called him by the name "Adam".1 The real reason for giving Adam the privilege of possessing this divine light was, however, that he was the first in the generation which led to Moses. God "placed in hirn (Adam) the secret of the name of Moses over all other creations".2 "From the very begin­ ning", we read, "we find some of the light of Moses transferred to his face". 3 The angels exalted Adam onIy for the sake of the prophet who was destined to come from hirn." It was also because of Moses that "God was appeased regarding Adam's mischief".5 But even his fall was not something onIy to be regretted. When God said that man had become "one of us, to know good and evil", the Samaritan author continues: "This is a reference to the messenger, to whom there is no likeness, our Master Moses, the prophet of all generations, who would make known the statutes and the laws".6 Before Adam's repentance after his fall, Cain and Abel were born, but neither possessed Adam's image or the "ray" of his light. Adam was even afraid for them and left from his wife for a hundred years.7 In one Samaritan text known to us, Cain and Abel are 1 See Tke Samaritan Version-Molad Moskek. Text, Translation and Notes, ed. Selig J. Miller, Tke Samaritan MoladMoskek, New York 1949, p. 6. According to MaleJ, see J. Bowman, The Doctrine oJ Creation, Fall oJ Man and the Original Sin in Samaritan and Pauline Theology, in: Tke ReJormed Tkeol. Review XIX 1960, p. 65-72, p. 65, Adam was created by the angel of the Lord and God breathed the breath of life into him. 2 Molad Moskek p. 6. a Molad Moskek p. 6. , Molad Moskek p. 7. 6 Molad Moskek p. 7. a Molad Moskek p. 7. 7 Molad Moskek p. 7. For Adam's repentance, see also Vita Adae et Evae. Adam's separation from Eve for a hundred years is interesting, but, according 30 SETH IN SAMARITAN LITERATURE called "sons of Belial".8 In another, we read that twins were also born to Adam. Cain's twin sister Alcalah was given to Abel as his wife and Makada, Abel's twin sister, to Cain. Cain was given the West and Abel the North and the South.9 Cain's ehildren were "children of darkness" .10 Unlike Cain's ehildren the children of Seth were ehildren of light. Seth was born "in the image, in the likeness and in the cor­ reet form". It is from hirn that the ancestors of "our Master Moses" descended.ll This points c1early to the importanee of Seth's generation. It is called a ehain of purity (i1"i1~ i1'W'W).12 In this ehain, eertain objeets and phenomena were handed down from one generation to the other. This first of all applies to the light whieh was given to Adam.13 But other objeets were also transmitted along the chain. We read about Adam's altar "in the precincts of the holy plaee between Luzah and Mount Gerizim", whieh was rebuilt by Enosh and later raised up by Abraham again.14 Adam possessed books­ the Book of Wars, the Book of Astrology and the Book of Signs­ and these two were handed down from one generation to another.lli to the Samaritan text The Asatir, see I 24 and 26, ed. M. Gaster, London 1927, Abel was killed when Adam was thirty years old which means that Seth was born when he was 130, at least according to the Masoretic text. S This is taken from MaleJ, a text which has not yet appeared in print but is quoted by J. Bowrnan, Samaritanische Probleme, Stuttgart 1967, p. 51, and also referred to in his The Doctrine oJ Creation . .. p. 66-67. 9 Asatir I 2-3. 10 According to M aleJ, quoted by Bowman, Samaritanische Probleme, p. 5 I. 11 Molad Mosheh p. 7. 12 See J. MacDonald, The Theology oJ the Samaritans, London 1964, p. 314-320. MacDonald quotes from A. E. Cowley, The Samaritan Liturgy, Oxford 19<>9, in two volumes. 13 Maulid an Nashi'. The Arabic Version. Text, Translations and Notes, ed. Selig J. Miller, New York 1949, p. 16, 11: "So this momentous (light) was transmitted from prophet to prophet until (it came) to the Messenger". 14 See Asatir I 7, II 14 and VI 27. 15 See Ad. Neubauer, Chronique Samaritain, in: journ. Asiatique, Six. Serie T. XIV 1869, p. 385-470, p. 423: "Il est de tradition que Dieu a transmis a nos ancetres, depuis Adam jusqu'a Moise, trois livres, savoir: le Livre des Guerres, celui de l'Astronomie et celui des Signes. Adam et ses fils, la generation pure, savaient quel est celui qui a cree les deux lumiaires pour servir a fixer les saisons, les jours et les annres; rien ne reste cache non plus a Noe." The book of Wars is also mentioned in the Asatir I 21 and IV 15. In the last passage it is said that Noah gave the Book of Signs to Arpachshad, the Book of Astronomy to Elam and the Book of Wars to Ashur. The Book of Signs is mentioned in II 7, where we read that it was learned by Enoch and given to Adam (also II 12 and 35). .
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