THE TESTAMENT OF ISSACHAR - 1

[Issachar 1:1-44]

Issachar, the son of Jacob and Leah, and the sinless child of hire for mandrakes. He preaches True Singleness.

*1* THE copy of the words of Issachar:

*2* For he called his sons and said to them: "Listen, my children, to Issachar your father; give ear to the words of him who is beloved of the Lord.

*3* I was born the fifth son to Jacob, by way of hire for the mandrakes.

*4* For Reuben my brother brought in mandrakes from the field, and Rachel met him and took them.

*5* And Reuben wept, and at his voice Leah my mother came forth.

*6* Now these mandrakes were sweet-smelling apples which were produced in the land of Haran below a ravine of water.

*7* And Rachel said: "I will not give them to you, but they shall be to me instead of children.

*8* For the Lord has despised me, and I have not borne children to Jacob."

*9* Now there were two apples; and Leah said to Rachel: "Let it suffice you that you have taken my husband: will you take these also?"

*10* And Rachel said to her: "You shall have Jacob this night for the mandrakes of your son."

*11* And Leah said to her: "Jacob is mine, for I am the wife of his youth."

*12* But Rachel said: "Do not boast, and do not vaunt yourself; for he espoused me before you, and for my sake he served our father fourteen years.

*13* And had not craft increased on the earth and the wickedness of men prospered, you would not by now see the face of Jacob.

*14* For you are not his wife, but in craft were taken to him in my stead.

*15* And my father deceived me, and removed me on that night, and did not allow Jacob to see me; for had I been there, this would not have happened to him.

*16* Nevertheless, for the mandrakes I am hiring Jacob to you for one night."

*17* And Jacob slept with Leah, and she conceived and bore me, and on account of the hire I was called "Issachar."

*18* Then an angel of the Lord appeared to Jacob, saying: "Two children shall Rachel bear, inasmuch as she has refused company with her husband, and has chosen continency."

*19* And had it been Leah my mother did not pay the two apples for the sake of Jacob's company, she would have borne eight sons; but for this reason she bore six instead, and Rachel bore the remaining two: because on account of the mandrakes the Lord visited Rachel.

*20* For the Lord knew that it was for the sake of children (procreation) Rachel wished to company with Jacob and not for lust of (sexual) pleasure.

*21* For on the next day also Rachel again gave up Jacob.

*22* Because of the mandrakes, therefore, the Lord listened to Rachel.

*23* For though she desired them, she did not eat them, but offered them in the house of the Lord, presenting them to the priest of the Most High who was at that time.

*24* When, therefore, I grew up, my children, I walked in uprightness of heart, and I became a husbandman (a farmer) for my father and my brethren, and I brought in fruits from the field according to their season.

*25* And my father blessed me, for he saw that I walked in rectitude before him.

*26* And I was not a busybody in my doings, nor envious and malicious against my neighbour.

*27* I never slandered any one, nor did I censure the life of any man, walking as I did in singleness of eye.

*28* Therefore, when I was thirty-five years old, I took to myself a wife, for my labour wore away my strength, and I never thought on pleasure with women; but owing to my toil, sleep overcame me.

*29* And my father always rejoiced in my rectitude, because I offered through the priest to the Lord all first-fruits; then to my father also.

*30* And the Lord increased ten thousandfold His benefits in my hands; and also Jacob, my father, knew that God aided my singleness.

*31* For on all the poor and oppressed I bestowed the good things of the earth in the singleness of my heart.

*32* And now, hear me, my children, and walk in singleness of your heart, for I have seen in it all that is well-pleasing to the Lord.

*33* The single-minded man does not covet gold, he does not overreach his neighbour, he does not long after manifold dainties, he does not delight in varieties of clothings (wears).

*34* He does not desire to live a long life, but only waits for the will of God.

*35* And the spirits of deceit have no power against him, for he does not look on the beauty of women, lest he should pollute his mind with corruption.

*36* There is no envy in his thoughts, no malicious person makes his soul to pine away, nor is there worry with insatiable desire in his mind.

*37* For he walks in singleness of soul, and beholds all things in uprightness of heart, shunning eyes made evil through the error of the world, lest he should see the perversion of any of the commandments of the Lord.

*38* Keep, therefore, my children, the law of God, and get singleness, and walk in guilelessness, not playing the busybody with the business of your neighbour, but love the Lord and your neighbour, have compassion on the poor and weak.

*39* Bow down your back to husbandry (farming), and toil in labours in all manner of husbandry, offering gifts to the Lord with thanksgiving.

*40* For with the first-fruits of the earth will the Lord bless you, even as He blessed all the saints from Abel even until now.

*41* For no other portion is given to you than of the fatness of the earth, whose fruits are raised by toil.

*41* For our father Jacob blessed me with blessings of the earth and of first-fruits.

*43* And Levi and Judah were glorified by the Lord even among the sons of Jacob; for the Lord gave them an inheritance, and to Levi He gave the priesthood, and to Judah the kingdom.

*44* And do you therefore obey them, and walk in the singleness of your father; for to Gad has it been given to destroy the troops that are coming upon Israel.

THE TESTAMENT OF ISSACHAR - 2

[Issachar 2:1-18]

*1* KNOW you therefore, my children, that in the last times your sons will forsake singleness, and will cleave to insatiable desire.

*2* And forsaking guilelessness, they will draw near to malice; and forsaking the commandments of the Lord, they will cleave to Beliar.

*3* And leaving husbandry, they will follow after their own wicked devices, and they shall be dispersed among the Gentiles, and shall serve their enemies.

*4* And do you therefore give these commands to your children, that, if they sin, they may the more quickly return to the Lord; For He is merciful, and will deliver them, even to bring them back into their land.

*5* Behold, therefore, as you see, I am one hundred and twenty-six years old and am not conscious of committing any sin in my entire life.

*6* And except my wife, I have not known any woman. I never committed fornication by even the uplifting of my eyes.

*7* I drank no wine, to be led astray thereby;

*8* I did not covet any desirable thing that was my neighbour's.

*9* No guile arose in my heart;

*10* A single lie never passed through my lips.

*11* If any man was in distress I joined my sighs with his,

*12* And I shared my bread with the poor.

*13* I worked godliness, all my days I kept truth.

*14* I loved the Lord; likewise also every man with all my heart.

*15* So do you also these things, my children, and every spirit of Beliar shall flee from you, and no deed of wicked men shall rule over you;

*16* And every wild beast shall you subdue, since you have with you the God of heaven and earth and walk with men in singleness of heart."

*17* And having said these things, he commanded his sons that they should carry him up to Hebron, and bury him there in the cave with his fathers.

*18* And he stretched out his feet and died, at a good old age; with every limb sound, and with strength unabated, he slept the eternal sleep.

+

Where was it writen in d bible?

muyico:
Where was it writen in d bible?

Revelation 14:4-5, 7:7
John 1:47