Visions of Amram
Visions of Amram, also referred to as 4Q543-549, is a collection of five extremely fragmented copies found in Qumran cave 4. In 1972, Jozef T. Milik published a significant fragment of the Visions of Amram.[1] Since then, controversy has surrounded this document at every turn. In this testament, Amram gathers his sons, Moses and Aaron, to his deathbed and relates stories of his life, providing wisdom and commanding understanding.[2] This document is named for a vision shared during this time.
This document has many distinguishing features that separate it from the other
Manuscript content
Upon the year of his death (136 years old),
Next, Amram presents his vision. He accounts two divine figures fighting over the fate of his judgement. Amram inquires about their claimed authority and challenges their rule in his life. In apparent unison, the figures declare their rule over humanity, and offer him a choice of destiny. One presents himself as Belial, Prince of Darkness, and Melkirisha, King of Evil, who is empowered over all Darkness.[4] The other figure, dubbed Melchizedek, Prince of Light and King of Righteousness, rules over the Light.[4] Amram tells his audience that he wrote down his vision as soon as he awoke.[2]
Amram also differentiates between light and darkness. He tells his audience that the
Type of literature
The type of genre of the Visions of Amram is decided according to common features found in relation to other texts. However, according to Jorg Frey, there needs to be room for uniqueness and character.[5] It is essential to use different types of scholarly genres to categorize the texts, even though ancient authors did not use them or used them quite differently.[5] This is a reason why there is ambiguity surrounding whether or not the Visions of Amram are classified as "testaments" or "visions".
However, people began to question why the author called it the Visions of Amram and not the Testament of Amram.[5] Here, differing views started to emerge and the world "testament" used to describe the Visions, slowly began to disappear.[7] Furthermore, John J. Collins, pointed out how the introductory narrative does not have the usual format of a testament. Instead it has a summary heading.[7] Collins would say that it is a vision of the demonic Melchiresha and its angel counterpart.[7] Similarly, Henryk Drawnel would say that the genre of the visions seems to be didactic.[8]
Dualism in Visions of Amram
It is relatively certain that Visions of Amram originated well before the scribes of
Dualism in the Qumran community is defined by the belief in a divine predetermined plan, which offers two ways of existence. On one end of the spectrum lies goodness and light and on the other, darkness and evil. These sides are in continuous combat, but in the end God will determine ultimate victory to the Sons of Light.
This extremely fragmentary piece of literature, given its early origins, could have had huge implications on the way dualism developed in Qumran. Unfortunately, due to its thoroughly incomplete nature, most of the insights on dualism gleaned from these documents only find their footing in speculation. For example, 4Q544 has been reconstructed to account a choice of fate offered to Amram, represented by these two figures. In the Qurman community, predeterminism was the common belief which would have led to incongruencies with this text.[10] It is difficult to draw an absolute conclusion on the specific brand of dualism depicted in the Visions of Amram due to its uncertain translation.[3] Nevertheless, it is valuable in providing a more complete look on the traditions and literature that may have inspired and driven the beliefs of the Qumran community.
References
- ^
- ^ a b c d Wise, Michael, Martin Abegg Jr., and Edward Cook. The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 2005.
- ^ a b c Perrin, Andrew B. "Another look at dualism in 4QVISIONS of AMRAM." Henoch 36, no. 1 (2014 2014): 106-117. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost
- ^ a b c d e Eisenman, Robert, and Michael Wise. "Testament Of Amram." Dead Sea Scrolls Undercovered. 375 Hudson Street: Penguin Books USA Inc., 1993.
- ^ a b c Berthelot, Katell, and Daniel Stokl Ben Ezra. Aramaic Qumranica. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, 2010. Accessed November 1, 2016.
- ^ a b Tervanotko, Hannah. Denying Her Voice: The Figure of Miriam in Ancient Jewish Literature. Bristol, CT: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2016. Accessed November 1, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Drawnel, Henryk. "The Initial Narrative of the 'Visions of Amram' and its Literary Characteristics". Revue De Qumrân 24, no. 4 (96) (2010): 517-54.
- ^ Drawnel, Henryk. "The Literary Characteristics of the Visions of Levi". Journal for Ancient Judaism, 2010. Accessed November 1, 2016.
- ^ Duke, Robert R. The Social Location of the Visions of Amram (4Q543-547). New York: Peter Lang, 2010.
- ^ a b c Flint, Peter W. The Dead Sea Scrolls. Core Biblical Studies. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013.