III.—The Testament
of Levi Concerning the Priesthood and Arrogance.
1. The copy of the
words of Levi, what things he appointed to his sons, according to all
that they should do, and what things should befall them until the day
of judgment. He was in sound health when he called them to him, for it had been shown to him that he should die. And when they were gathered together he said to them:—
2. I Levi was conceived in Haran and born there, and after that I came with my father to Shechem. And I was young, about twenty years of age, when with Simeon I wrought the vengeance on Hamor for our sister Dinah. And when we were feeding our flocks in Abel-Maul, a spirit of understanding of the Lord came upon me, and I saw all men corrupting their way, and that unrighteousness had built to itself walls, and iniquity sat upon towers; and I grieved for the race of men, and I prayed to the Lord that I might be saved. Then there fell upon me a sleep, and I beheld a high mountain: this is the mountain of Aspis in Abel-Maul. And behold, the heavens were opened, and an angel of God said to me, Levi, enter. And I entered from the first heaven into the second, and I saw there water hanging between the one and the other. And I saw a third heaven far brighter than those two, for there was in it a height without bounds. And I said to the angel, Wherefore is this? And the angel said to me, Marvel not at these, for thou shalt see four other heavens brighter than these, and without comparison, when thou shalt have ascended thither: because thou shalt stand near the Lord, and shalt be His minister, and shall declare His mysteries to men, and shalt proclaim concerning Him who shall redeem Israel; and by thee and Judah shall the Lord appear among men, saving in them every race of men; and of the portion of the Lord shall be thy life, and He shall be thy field and vineyard, fruits, gold, silver.
3. Hear, then, concerning the seven heavens. The lowest is for this cause
more gloomy, in that it is near all the iniquities of men. The
second hath fire, snow, ice, ready for the day of the ordinance of the
Lord, in the righteous judgment of God: in it are all the spirits
of the retributions for vengeance on the wicked. In the third are
the hosts of the armies which are ordained for the day of judgment, to
work vengeance on the spirits of deceit and of Beliar. And the
heavens up to the fourth above these are holy, for in the highest of
all dwelleth the Great Glory, in the holy of holies, far above all
holiness. In the heaven next to it are the angels of the presence
of the Lord, who minister and make propitiation to the Lord for all the
ignorances of the righteous; and they offer to the Lord a reasonable
sweet-smelling savour, and a bloodless offering. And in the
heaven below this are the angels who bear the answers to the angels of
the presence of the Lord. And in the heaven next to this are
thrones, dominions, in which hymns are ever offered to God. Therefore, whenever the Lord looketh upon us, all of us are shaken; yea, the heavens, and the earth, and the abysses, are shaken at the presence of His majesty; but the sons of men, regarding not these things, sin, and provoke the Most High.
4. Now, therefore, know that the Lord will
execute judgment upon the sons of men; because when the rocks are
rent, and the sun quenched, and the waters dried
up, and the fire trembling, and all creation troubled, and the
invisible spirits melting away, and the grave
spoiled in the suffering of the Most High, men
unbelieving will abide in their iniquity, therefore with punishment
shall they be judged. Therefore the Most High hath heard thy
prayer, to separate thee from iniquity, and that thou shouldest become
to Him a son, and a servant, and a minister of His presence. A
shining light of knowledge shalt thou shine in Jacob, and as the sun
shalt thou be to all the seed of Israel. And a blessing shall be
given to thee, and to all thy seed, until the Lord shall visit all the
heathen in the tender mercies of His Son, even for ever. Nevertheless thy sons shall lay hands upon Him to crucify Him; and therefore have counsel and understanding been given thee, that thou mightest instruct thy sons concerning Him, because he that blesseth Him shall be blessed, but they that curse Him shall perish.