Testament of Moses

Charles1897 Testament of Moses, supplied ChapterI (MS3–5 separately in apparatus)

I. (And it came to pass in the one hundred and twentieth year of the life of Moses), 2. That is, the two thousand five hundredth year from the creation of the world, 6. That he called to him Joshua the son of Nun, a man approved of the Lord, 7. That he might be the minister of the people and of the tabernacle of the testimony with all its holy things, 8. And that he might bring the people into the land given to their fathers, 9. That it should be given to them according to the covenant and the oath, which he spake in the tabernacle to give (it) by Joshua: saying to Joshua these words: 10. “(Be strong) and of a good courage according to thy might so as to do what has been commanded that thou mayst be blameless unto God.” 11. So saith the Lord of the world. 12. For He hath created the world on behalf of His people. 13. But He was not pleased to manifest this purpose of creation from the foundation of the world, in order that the Gentiles might thereby be convicted, yea to their own humiliation might by (their) arguments convict one another. 14. Accordingly He designed and devised me, and He prepared me before the foundation of the world, that I should be the mediator of His covenant. 15. And now I declare unto thee that the time of the years of my life is fulfilled and I am passing away to sleep with my fathers even in the presence of all the people. 16. And receive thou this writing that thou mayst know how to preserve the books which I shall deliver unto thee: 17. And thou shalt set these in order and anoint them with oil of cedar and put them away in earthen vessels in the place which He made from the beginning of the creation of the world, 18. That His name should be called upon until the day of repentance in the visitation where- with the Lord shall visit them in the consummation of the end of the days.