English - Testament of Gad.pdf

Gad, the ninth son of Jacob and Zilpah. Shepherd and strong man but a murderer at heart. Verse 25 is a notable definition of hatred.

2. CHAPTER1
Gad,theninthsonofJacobandZilpah.
Shepherdandstrongmanbutamurderer
atheart.Verse25isanotabledefinition
ofhatred.
1ThecopyofthetestamentofGad,what
thingshespakeuntohissons,inthe
hundredandtwenty-fifthyearofhislife,
sayinguntothem:
2Hearken,mychildren,Iwastheninth
sonborntoJacob,andIwasvaliantin
keepingtheflocks.
3AccordinglyIguardedatnightthe
flock;andwheneverthelioncame,orthe
wolf,oranywildbeastagainstthefold,I
pursuedit,andovertakingitIseizedits
footwithmyhandandhurleditabouta
stone'sthrow,andsokilledit.
4NowJosephmybrotherwasfeeding
theflockwithusforupwardsofthirty
days,andbeingyoung,hefellsickby
reasonoftheheat.
5AndhereturnedtoHebrontoourfather,
whomadehimliedownnearhim,
becausehelovedhimgreatly.
6AndJosephtoldourfatherthatthesons
ofZilpahandBilhahwereslayingthe
bestoftheflockandeatingthemagainst
thejudgementofReubenandJudah.
7ForhesawthatIhaddeliveredalamb
outofthemouthofabear,andputthe
beartodeath;buthadslainthelamb,
beinggrievedconcerningitthatitcould
notlive,andthatwehadeatenit.
8AndregardingthismatterIwaswroth
withJosephuntilthedaythathewassold.
9Andthespiritofhatredwasinme,and
IwishednoteithertohearofJosephwith
theears,orseehimwiththeeyes,
becauseherebukedustoourfaces
sayingthatwewereeatingoftheflock
withoutJudah.
10Forwhatsoeverthingshetoldour
father,hebelievedhim.
11Iconfessnowmygin,mychildren,
thatoftentimesIwishedtokillhim,
becauseIhatedhimfrommyheart.
12Moreover,Ihatedhimyetmorefor
hisdreams;andIwishedtolick1him
outofthelandoftheliving,evenasan
oxlickethupthegrassofthefield.
13AndJudahsoldhimsecretlytothe
Ishmaelites.
14ThustheGodofourfathersdelivered
himfromourhands,thatweshouldnot
workgreatlawlessnessinIsrael.
15Andnow,mychildren,hearkentothe
wordsoftruthtoworkrighteousness,and
allthelawoftheMostHigh,andgonot
astraythroughthespiritofhatred,forit
isevilinallthedoingsofmen.
16Whatsoeveramandoeththehater
abominatethhim:andthoughaman
workeththelawoftheLord,hepraiseth
himnot;thoughamanfeareththeLord,
andtakethpleasureinthatwhichis
righteous,helovethhimnot.
17Hedispraiseththetruth,heenvieth
himthatprospereth,hewelcomethevil-
speaking,helovetharrogance,forhatred
blindethhissoul;asIalsothenlookedon
Joseph.
18Beware,therefore,mychildrenof
hatred,foritworkethlawlessnesseven
againsttheLordHimself.
19ForitwillnothearthewordsofHis
commandmentsconcerningthelovingof
one's--neighbour,anditsinnethagainst
God.
20Forifabrotherstumble,itdelighteth
immediatelytoproclaimittoallmen,
andisurgentthatheshouldbejudgedfor
it,andbepunishedandbeputtodeath.
21Andifitbeaservantitstirrethhimup
againsthismaster,andwithevery

3. afflictionitdevisethagainsthim,if
possiblyhecanbeputtodeath.
22Forhatredworkethwithenvyalso
againstthemthatprosper:solongasit
hearethoforseeththeirsuccessitalways
languisheth.
23Foraslovewouldquickeneventhe
dead,andwouldcallbackthemthatare
condemnedtodie,sohatredwouldslay
theliving,andthosethathadsinned
veniallyitwouldnotsuffertolive.
24Forthespiritofhatredworketh
togetherwithSatan,throughhastinessof
spirits,inallthingstomen'sdeath;but
thespiritofloveworkethtogetherwith
thelawofGodinlong-sufferinguntothe
salvationofmen.
25Hatred,therefore,isevil,forit
constantlymatethwithlying,speaking
againstthetruth;anditmakethsmall
thingstobegreat,andcauseththelightto
bedarkness,andcalleththesweetbitter,
andteachethslander,andkindlethwrath,
andstirrethupwar,andviolenceandall
covetousness;itfilleththeheartwith
evilsanddevilishpoison.
26Thesethings,therefore,Isaytoyou
fromexperience,mychildren,thatye
maydriveforthhatred,whichisofthe
devil,andcleavetotheloveofGod.
27Righteousnesscastethouthatred,
humilitydestroyethenvy.
28Forhethatisjustandhumbleis
ashamedtodowhatisunjust,being
reprovednotofanother,butofhisown
heart,becausetheLordlookethonhis
inclination.
29Hespeakethnotagainstaholyman,
becausethefearofGodovercometh
hatred.
30Forfearinglestheshouldoffendthe
Lord,hewillnotdowrongtoanyman,
eveninthought.
31ThesethingsIlearntatlast,afterIhad
repentedconcerningJoseph.
32Fortruerepentanceafteragodlysort
destroyethignorance,anddrivethaway
thedarkness,andenlighteneththeeyes,
andgivethknowledgetothesoul,and
leadeththemindtosalvation.
33Andthosethingswhichithathnot
learntfromman,itknoweththrough
repentance.
34ForGodbroughtuponmeadiseaseof
theliver;andhadnottheprayersof
Jacobmyfathersuccouredme,ithad
hardlyfailedbutmyspirithaddeparted.
35Forbywhatthingsaman
transgressethbythesamealsoishe
punished.
36Since,therefore,myliverwasset
mercilesslyagainstJoseph,inmyliver
tooIsufferedmercilessly,andwas
judgedforelevenmonths,forsolonga
timeasIhadbeenangryagainstJoseph.
CHAPTER2
Gadexhortshislistenersagainsthatred
showinghowithasbroughthimintoso
muchtrouble.Verses8-11are
memorable.
1Andnow,mychildren,Iexhortyou,
loveyeeachonehisbrother,andput
awayhatredfromyourhearts,loveone
anotherindeed,andinword,andinthe
inclinationofthesoul.
2ForinthepresenceofmyfatherIspake
peaceablytoJoseph;andwhenIhad
goneout,thespiritofhatreddarkened
mymind,andstirredupmysoultoslay
him.
3Loveyeoneanotherfromtheheart;
andifamansinagainstthee,speak
peaceablytohim,andinthysoulhold

4. notguile;andifherepentandconfess,
forgivehim.
4Butifhedenyit,donotgetintoa
passionwithhim,lestcatchingthe
poisonfromtheehetaketoswearingand
sothousindoubly.
5Letnotanothermanhearthysecrets
whenengagedinlegalstrife,lesthe
cometohatetheeandbecomethyenemy,
andcommitagreatsinagainstthee;for
ofttimesheaddresseththeeguilefullyor
busiethhimselfabouttheewithwicked
intent.
6Andthoughhedenyitandyethavea
senseofshamewhenreproved,giveover
reprovinghim.
7Forbewhodeniethmayrepentsoas
notagaintowrongthee;yea,hemayalso
honourthee,andfearandbeatpeace
withthee.
8Andifhebeshamelessandpersistin
hiswrong-doing,evensoforgivehim
fromtheheart,andleavetoGodthe
avenging.
9Ifamanprosperethmorethanyou,do
notbevexed,butprayalsoforhim,that
hemayhaveperfectprosperity.
10forsoitisexpedientforyou.
11Andifhebefurtherexalted,benot
enviousofhim,rememberingthatall
fleshshalldie;andofferpraisetoGod,
whogiveththingsgoodandprofitableto
allmen.
12SeekoutthejudgmentsoftheLord,
andthymindwillrestandbeatpeace.
13Andthoughamanbecomerichby
evilmeans,evenasEsau,thebrotherof
myfather,benotjealous;butwaitforthe
endoftheLord.
14Forifhetakethawayfromaman
wealthgottenbyevilmeansHeforgiveth
himifherepent,buttheunrepentantis
reservedforeternalpunishment.
15Forthepoorman,iffreefromenvyhe
pleaseththeLordinallthings,isblessed
beyondallmen,becausehehathnotthe
travailofvainmen.
16Putaway,therefore,jealousyfrom
yoursouls,andloveoneanotherwith
uprightnessofheart.
17Doyealsothereforetellthesethings
toyourchildren,thattheyhonourJudah
andLevi,forfromthemshalltheLord
raiseupsalvationtoIsrael.
18ForIknowthatatthelastyour
childrenshalldepartfromHim,andshall
walkinOwickedness,andafflictionand
corruptionbeforetheLord.
19Andwhenhehadrestedforalittle
while,hesaidagain;Mychildren,obey
yourfather,andburymeneartomy
fathers.
20Andhedrewuphisfeet,andfell
asleepinpeace.
21Andafterfiveyearstheycarriedhim
uptoHebron,andlaidhimwithhis
fathers.