Guide
What Is the Genesis Apocryphon?
3rd Century BCE–1st Century CE
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Among the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls to be discovered, the Genesis Apocryphon (1Q20) contains conversations between the biblical characters Lamech and Noah along with various narratives about Abraham. As suggested by its title, it is highly dependent on the book of Genesis, and it is often characterized as rewritten Bible. Some of its narratives follow the biblical text very closely, whereas others diverge radically. The Genesis Apocryphon was composed in Aramaic sometime between the third and first centuries BCE.
Related Primary Sources
Primary Source
Abram as Literate
Genesis Apocryphon 19:23–27
[ . . . ] After these five years [ . . . ] three men of the princes of Egyp[t came . . .] from Phara[oh] Zoa[n] on account of [my] words and of my wife. They gave [me many presents expecting…
Primary Source
Boundaries of the Land Promised to Abraham
Genesis Apocryphon 20:33–21:22
Now I, Abram, grew tremendously in many flocks and also in silver and gold. I went up from Egy[p]t, [and] my brother’s son [Lot wen]t with me. Lot had also acquired for himself many…
Primary Source
The Conception of Noah
Genesis Apocryphon 2:1–18
And then I thought to myself, “The pregnancy is from the Watchers, and the seed is from the Holy Ones and of the Nephilin,” and my mind was greatly disturbed on account of this child. [blank] Then…
Primary Source
Sarai and Pharaoh
Genesis Apocryphon 20:2–34
How splendid and beautiful is the form of her face, and how . . . and fine is the hair of her head, how lovely are her eyes, how delightful is her nose, and all the radiance of her face . . . How…
Primary Source
Genesis Apocryphon Scroll
This scroll, found in Cave 1 at Qumran, contains the text of the Genesis Apocryphon, an Aramaic retelling of narratives from Genesis. The genre of rewritten Bible was popular among Jewish authors in…
Primary Source
Batenosh in the Genesis Apocryphon
Genesis Apocryphon 2:8–18
Then Batenosh my wife spoke with me very harshly, and wept [ ] and she said, “O my brother and my husband, recall for yourself my pleasure . . . [ ] in the heat of the moment, and my panting…
Primary Source
Emzara in the Genesis Apocryphon
Genesis Apocryphon 6:7
I went and took Emzara his daughter as my wife.
Source: 1QapGen
Related Guide
What Are the Dead Sea Scrolls?
2nd Century BCE–1st Century CE
Found in caves in the Judean Desert, the Dead Sea Scrolls preserve the writings of an ancient Jewish sect.