Testament of Solomon

By Scriptural Research Institute

In the early Christian era, many Testaments of the Patriarchs circulated in Jewish and Christian communities. The Testaments of Job and Solomon was used by the Christian Montanist sect, and the Gnostic Valentinian sect in the 2nd century.

The Testament of Solomon was widely used by Christian and Gnostic astrologers in the first few centuries of the Christian era, however, clearly began as a pre-Christian prophetic text, predicting the coming of Emmanuel, the Israelite Messiah whose Gematria value would be 644, which is not the Gematria value of Jesus. While references to Jesus' life and crucifixion are present in this testament, the predictions are believed to have been added later, likely before the year 200 AD. The second half of the Testament of Solomon is largely drawn from ancient Egyptian astrology, which divided the circle of the Zodiac into 36 decans, or small-constellations. These later decans formed the basis of Indian astrology, who called it 'Greek' astrology, beginning with Sphujidhvaja's Yavanajātaka, published around 150 AD.

The content of the testament places its origin sometime before the time of Jesus, however, unlike most Jewish texts from the time, it treats the Jewish priesthood in the Second Temple with disdain, and refer to the priesthoods established by Ezra and Nehemiah under Persian authority as a corruption. This means it could not have been a Pharisee or Sadducee work, however, does not clarify if it was a Samaritan work, or the work of another Jewish sect, such as the Tobian Jews (Τουβιανοὺς Ιουδαίους) mentioned in 2nd Maccabees, who lived in Seleucid controlled regions. The attack on Ezra would be equally valid for Samaritans or the followers of the High Priest Tobiah, who Ezra kicked out of the Temple in Jerusalem in the Septuagint's 1st Ezra. The apocalyptic message seems to point to it originating in the same sect as the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Testament of Job, and Testament of Moses, as well as the books of Enoch, Tobit, Jubilees, and Job, which were likely the work of the Tobian Jews. However, as the Tobian Jews were described as living in Bashan (southern modern Syria), and this was not part of Judah, but rather part of the Tribe of Manasseh's territory, therefore this testament strongly implies that the Tobian Jews were Samaritans, which would explain why most of their texts were never accepted by Rabbinical Jews.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scriptural Research Institute
• Release date: Jan 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781989604946

Book preview

Copyright

WHILE EVERY PRECAUTION has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

TESTAMENT OF SOLOMON

First edition. January 10, 2020.

Copyright © 2020 Scriptural Research Institute.

ISBN: 978-1-989604-94-6

The Testament of Solomon was likely composed in Aramaic between 200  BC and 200 AD.

The Testament of Solomon was translated into Greek by 200 AD.

These English translations were created by the Scriptural Research Institute in 2020.

The image used for the cover is ‘Solomon Worshiping the Pagan Gods’ by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro, painted circa 1695.

Forward

IN THE EARLY CHRISTIAN era, many Testaments of the Patriarchs circulated in Jewish and Christian communities, the foremost being the Testaments of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The other major testaments were grouped together as the Testaments of the Twelve, which included the Testaments of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Joseph, and Benjamin. The Testament of Adam was used by the Sethians and later Sethian Gnostics. While the Testaments of Job and Solomon were used by the Christian Montanist sect, and the Gnostic Valentinian sect in the 2nd century. The Testament of Moses, also known as the Ascension of Moses, appears to have only been used by a Jewish sect, although it does not appear to have been a precursor to Rabbinical Judaism.

The Testament of Solomon was widely used by Christian and Gnostic astrologers in the first few centuries of the Christian era, however, clearly began as a pre-Christian prophetic text, predicting the coming of Emmanuel, the Israelite Messiah whose Gematria value would be 644, which is not the Gematria value of Jesus. While references to Jesus’ life and crucifixion are present in this testament, the predictions are believed to have been added later, likely before the year 200 AD. The second half of the Testament of Solomon is largely drawn from ancient Egyptian astrology, which divided the circle of the Zodiac into 36 decans, or small-constellations. These later decans formed the basis of Indian astrology, who called it ‘Greek’ astrology, beginning with Sphujidhvaja’s Yavanajātaka, published around 150 AD.

The content of the testament places its origin sometime before the time of Jesus, however, unlike most Jewish texts from the time, it treats the Jewish priesthood in the Second Temple with disdain, and refer to the priesthoods established by Ezra and Nehemiah under Persian authority as a corruption. This means it could not have been a Pharisee or Sadducee work, however, does not clarify if it was a Samaritan work, or the work of another Jewish sect, such as the Tobian Jews (Τουβιανοὺς Ιουδαίους) mentioned in 2nd Maccabees, who lived in Seleucid controlled regions. The attack on Ezra would be equally valid for Samaritans or the followers of the High Priest Tobiah, who Ezra kicked out of the Temple in Jerusalem in the Septuagint's 1st Ezra. The apocalyptic message seems to point to it originating in the same sect as the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Testament of Job, and Testament of Moses, as well as the books of Enoch, Tobit, Jubilees, and Job, which were likely the work of the Tobian Jews. However, as the Tobian Jews were described as living in Bashan (southern modern Syria), and this was not part of Judah, but rather part of the Tribe of Manasseh’s territory, therefore this testament strongly implies that the Tobian Jews were Samaritans, which would explain why most of their texts were never accepted by Rabbinical Jews.

Several references within the testament point to an origin in the Seleucid Empire, including mentions of Greek gods, and Zoroastrian terminology. The dating of this testament is widely debated, however, the general consensus is that is was written in Greek sometime in the first two centuries of the Christian era. The existence of several Semitic terms within the testament, some of which were transliterated directly into Greek instead of being translated, implies that the original texts were written in a Semitic language. Given the anti-Levitical content and the number of supernatural beings in the testament is could not have been a Pharisee or Sadducee text, and therefore is unlikely to have been written in Hebrew.

The story told within the Testament of Solomon was later repeated in the Babylonian Talmud, were in Gittin 68, King Solomon enslaved Ashmodai, King of the Demons, to build the temple, and was later disposed of by him for a time. The spirits and demons that King Solomon binds to do his bidding in this testament are mostly known from ancient Greek, Egyptian, Zoroastrian, Israelite, Mesopotamian, and Arabic beliefs, however, some continue to be unknown.

Testament of Solomon

THE TESTAMENT OF SOLOMON, son of David, who was king in Jerusalem, and mastered and controlled all spirits of the air, the earth, and the underworld. By means of them he also worked all the transcendent works of the temple. It tells also