{
"books": [
{
"name": "Testament of Issachar",
"chapters": [
{
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1",
"verses": [
{
"verse": 1,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:1",
"text": "THE copy of the words of Issachar."
},
{
"verse": 2,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:2",
"text": "For he called his sons and said to them: Hearken, my children, to Issachar your father; give ear to the words of him who is beloved of the Lord."
},
{
"verse": 3,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:3",
"text": "I was born the fifth son to Jacob, by way of hire for the mandrakes."
},
{
"verse": 4,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:4",
"text": "For Reuben my brother brought in mandrakes from the field, and Rachel met him and took them."
},
{
"verse": 5,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:5",
"text": "And Reuben wept, and at his voice Leah my mother came forth."
},
{
"verse": 6,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:6",
"text": "Now these mandrakes were sweet-smelling apples which were produced in the land of Haran below a ravine of water."
},
{
"verse": 7,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:7",
"text": "And Rachel said: I will not give them to thee, but they shall be to me instead of children."
},
{
"verse": 8,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:8",
"text": "For the Lord hath despised me, and I have not borne children to Jacob."
},
{
"verse": 9,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:9",
"text": "Now there were two apples; and Leah said to Rachel: Let it suffice thee that thou hast taken my husband: wilt thou take these also?"
},
{
"verse": 10,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:10",
"text": "And Rachel said to her: Thou shalt have Jacob this night for the mandrakes of thy son,"
},
{
"verse": 11,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:11",
"text": "And Leah said to her: Jacob is mine, for I am the wife of his youth."
},
{
"verse": 12,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:12",
"text": "But Rachel said: Boast not, and vaunt not thyself; for he espoused me before thee, and for my sake he served our father fourteen years."
},
{
"verse": 13,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:13",
"text": "And had not craft increased on the earth and the wickedness of men prospered, thou wouldst not now see the face of Jacob."
},
{
"verse": 14,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:14",
"text": "For thou art not his wife, but in craft wert taken to him in my stead."
},
{
"verse": 15,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:15",
"text": "And my father deceived me, and removed me on that night, and did not suffer Jacob to see me; for had I been there, this had not happened to him."
},
{
"verse": 16,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:16",
"text": "Nevertheless, for the mandrakes I am hiring Jacob to thee for one night."
},
{
"verse": 17,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:17",
"text": "And Jacob knew Leah, and she conceived and bare me, and on account of the hire I was called Issachar."
},
{
"verse": 18,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:18",
"text": "Then appeared to Jacob an angel of the Lord, saying: Two children shall Rachel bear, inasmuch as she hath refused company with her husband, and hath chosen continency."
},
{
"verse": 19,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:19",
"text": "And had not Leah my mother paid the two apples for the sake of his company, she would have borne eight sons; for this reason she bare six, and Rachel bare the two: for on account of the mandrakes the Lord visited her."
},
{
"verse": 20,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:20",
"text": "For He knew that for the sake of children she wished to company with Jacob, and not for lust of pleasure."
},
{
"verse": 21,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:21",
"text": "For on the morrow also she again gave up Jacob."
},
{
"verse": 22,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:22",
"text": "Because of the mandrakes, therefore, the Lord hearkened to Rachel."
},
{
"verse": 23,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:23",
"text": "For though she desired them, she cat them not, but offered them in the house of the Lord, presenting them to the priest of the Most High who was at that time."
},
{
"verse": 24,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:24",
"text": "When, therefore, I grew up, my children, I walked in uprightness of heart, and I became a husbandman for my father and my brethren, and I brought in fruits from the field according to their season."
},
{
"verse": 25,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:25",
"text": "And my father blessed me, for he saw that I walked in rectitude before him."
},
{
"verse": 26,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:26",
"text": "And I was not a busybody in my doings, nor envious and malicious against my neighbour."
},
{
"verse": 27,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:27",
"text": "I never slandered any one, nor did I censure the life of any man, walking as I did in singleness of eye."
},
{
"verse": 28,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:28",
"text": "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 upon pleasure with women; but owing to my toil, sleep overcame me."
},
{
"verse": 29,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:29",
"text": "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."
},
{
"verse": 30,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:30",
"text": "And the Lord increased ten thousandfold His benefits in my hands; and also Jacob, my father, knew that God aided my singleness."
},
{
"verse": 31,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:31",
"text": "For on all the poor and oppressed I bestowed the good things of the earth in the singleness of my heart."
},
{
"verse": 32,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:32",
"text": "And now, hearken to me, my children, and walk in singleness of your heart, for I have seen in it all that is well-pleasing to the Lord. '"
},
{
"verse": 33,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:33",
"text": "The single-minded man coveteth not gold, he overreacheth not his neighbour, he longeth not after manifold dainties, he delighteth not in varied apparel."
},
{
"verse": 34,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:34",
"text": "He doth not desire to live a long life, but only waiteth for the will of God."
},
{
"verse": 35,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:35",
"text": "And the spirits of deceit have no power against him, for he looketh not on the beauty of women, lest he should pollute his mind with corruption."
},
{
"verse": 36,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:36",
"text": "There is no envy in his thoughts, no malicious person maketh his soul to pine away, nor worry with insatiable desire in his mind."
},
{
"verse": 37,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:37",
"text": "For he walketh in singleness of soul, and beholdeth 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."
},
{
"verse": 38,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:38",
"text": "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."
},
{
"verse": 39,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:39",
"text": "Bow down your back unto husbandry, and toil in labours in all manner of husbandry, offering gifts to the Lord with thanksgiving."
},
{
"verse": 40,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:40",
"text": "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."
},
{
"verse": 41,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:41",
"text": "For no other portion is given to you than of the fatness of the earth, whose fruits are raised by toil."
},
{
"verse": 42,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:42",
"text": "For our father Jacob blessed me with blessings of the earth and of first-fruits."
},
{
"verse": 43,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:43",
"text": "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."
},
{
"verse": 44,
"chapter": 1,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 1:44",
"text": "And do ye therefore obey them, and walk in the singleness of your father; for unto Gad hath it been given to destroy the troops that are coming upon Israel.\n\n\n\n---"
}
]
},
{
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2",
"verses": [
{
"verse": 1,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:1",
"text": "KNOW ye therefore, my children, that in the last times your sons will forsake singleness, and will cleave unto insatiable desire."
},
{
"verse": 2,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:2",
"text": "And leaving guilelessness, will draw near to malice; and forsaking the commandments of the Lord, they will cleave unto Beliar."
},
{
"verse": 3,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:3",
"text": "And leaving husbandry, they will follow after their own wicked devices, and they shall be dispersed among the Gentiles, and shall serve their enemies."
},
{
"verse": 4,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:4",
"text": "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."
},
{
"verse": 5,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:5",
"text": "Behold, therefore, as ye see, I am a hundred and twenty-six years old and am not conscious of committing any sin."
},
{
"verse": 6,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:6",
"text": "Except my wife I have not known any woman. I never committed fornication by the uplifting of my eyes."
},
{
"verse": 7,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:7",
"text": "I drank not wine, to be led astray thereby;"
},
{
"verse": 8,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:8",
"text": "I coveted not any desirable thing that was my neighbour's."
},
{
"verse": 9,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:9",
"text": "Guile arose not in my heart;"
},
{
"verse": 10,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:10",
"text": "A lie passed not through my lips."
},
{
"verse": 11,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:11",
"text": "If any man were in distress I joined my sighs with his,"
},
{
"verse": 12,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:12",
"text": "And I shared my bread with the poor."
},
{
"verse": 13,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:13",
"text": "I wrought godliness, all my days I kept truth."
},
{
"verse": 14,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:14",
"text": "I loved the Lord; likewise also every man with all my heart."
},
{
"verse": 15,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:15",
"text": "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;"
},
{
"verse": 16,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:16",
"text": "And every wild beast shall ye subdue, since you have with you the God of heaven and earth and walk with men in singleness of heart."
},
{
"verse": 17,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:17",
"text": "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."
},
{
"verse": 18,
"chapter": 2,
"name": "Testament of Issachar 2:18",
"text": "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."
}
]
}
]
}
]
}