Ancient Testaments of the Patriarchs: Autobiographies from the Dead Sea Scrolls

Excellent resource! Not only is this book fun to read, but it’s a great accessory to any meaningful Bible study. I read this as I finished the book of Genesis and it made the patriarchs come alive.

This is a modern translation of the testaments of some of the known biblical names (people) in the line of Israel. The most impactful ones to me are those of the sons of Jacob (Israel). Apparently it was tradition that when a patriarch knew he would die soon, he would call his family together, give them a brief review of his life, and refer to his life as a source of advice for his children on how best to live their lives in service to God. The older sons of Jacob revealed their lifelong sorrow for how their sins of their youth had affected them. The most meaningful testaments to me were: Issachar, who advises a simple, hard-working life in service to the Lord. Joseph, who advises continual prayer and study of God's word to avoid temptation, and Benjamin, who tells about a "good mind" that holds to the ways of the Lord: "The good mind... does not bless and curse, insult and honor, or spread sorrow and joy. It does not make peace and cause trouble, speak hypocritically and truthfully, or bring poverty and wealth. It only has one temperament: pure and uncorrupt concerning all men. It has no trouble seeing and hearing the truth, for in everything the Lord watches his soul and keeps his mind clean so that he will not be condemned by God or men." Wow! Dear Lord God, please give me a good mind!

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE READ , IN FACT IT IS THE ONLY ONE IKNOW THAT COVERS THIS SUBJECT. IT WAS AWESOME TO READ WHAT THE PATRIARCHS WROTE IN THEIR LETTERS TO THEIR CHILDREN THE FOLLOWING: JESUS GOD'S SON WOULD BRING SALVATION AND ABOUT MESSIAH'S PRIESTHOOD, ASCENSION, BAPTISM,AND SANCTIFICATION. AND THAT THE PHARISEES WOULD TURN AGAINST HIM. I HAVE READ OTHER BOOKS OF RICHARD JOHNSON AND THEY ARE SO VERY ACCURATE. ONE IS ENTITLED THE ANCIENT BOOK OF ENOCH AND THE ANCIENT POST- FLOOD HISTORY. I HAVE ALSO READ THE HIS BOOK OF JUBILEES. IN IT DR.JOHNSON TRACES THE ANCESTRY OF THE THREE SONS OF NOAH. TALK ABOUT EXCITING WAS TO LEARN THAT HERCULES GRAVE WAS FOUND IN THE LAND AROUND THE MEDITERRIAN SEA WITH HIS NAME ON IT. IT CONCLUDES THAT HE WAS A TITIAN, GENESIS . HIS BOOK ON ENOCH WAS GREAT, IT EVEN HAD FOOT NOTES TO EXPLAIN THE PROPHETIC PARABLES THROUGH THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS WHICH INCLUDES MANY PROPHECIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED. ENOCH GIVES MANY OF THE DETAILS OF THE ANGELS VISIT/ THE FOOT NOTES INENOCH MAKE HIS BOOK THE BEST. IN THE PATRIARCHS BOOK.. HE HAS A LIST OF ENCOH'S PROPHECIES AND THE ONES OF THE PATRIARCHS. THIS BOOK IS THE BEST. IT WAS HARD TO PUT IT DOWN!!! HE LISTS WHERE THEY ARE FOUND INNOTHER PARTS OF THE BIBLE. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BIBLICAL HISTORY AND PROPHECY, YOU MUST READ THE ANCIENT TESTAMENTS OF THE PARTRIARCHS, AS WELL THE POST HISTORY OF THE FLOOD.

This is probably the fifth of Ken Johnson's books I've read and I've enjoyed them all because of the historicity and clear translation, but I think this one is the most informative for giving us so much more detail, plus the points of view of Jacob's sons. They wisdom they passed on to their tribes is invaluable, such a pity it didn't find its way into the canon of Scripture. For a teaser, consider this: Abram was warned in a dream not to reveal to Pharaoh that Sarai was his wife. She was his captive for over two years! This is a very different characterization than the typical biblical interpretation that Abraham sinned by lying. I'd been taught that not because it's what the Bible says, but because it doesn't have the information contained here. He was warned by an angel to save his life. There are similar huge revelations about Shechem, Judah and Tamar, etc. Each of the patriarch's prophecies concerning Messiah is worth the price of the book alone. Protecting Him while warning the nation of Israel not to betray Him may be the reason they were lost to history for so long. Thank you, Ken, for getting these documents from the Dead Sea Scrolls into the hands of ordinary people. The Lord is truly making the hidden things known through you.

Good read, and it open my eyes to more things concerning I didn't know happen to the children of the 12 tribes. Very interesting. Too bad the fragments were so destroyed, that a lot of things written so long ago, won't be known. Nonetheless, I am so happy these scrolls were found. My question is, with this find, and revealed information about the promise Messiah, which is so clear in these ancient treatments, why have the Jewish people of today, not know who the Messiah is, and when HE came, and that HE is coming back? Or is it, that when the oral law from the forefathers was change, this revealed information about the Messiah was lost, and/or kept hidden. Hmmmm

Awesome reading the Testaments...

Great book!

This book is purportedly taken from ancient writings in the Dead Sea Scrolls. It has excerpts from various Bible personalities that are not included in familiar Scriptures. It looks authentic and is certainly interesting. I'm not sure how authentic it is...though it certainly seems credible...but is a short, interesting read if you want something different from possible Bible figures who have no other known writings...at least to me!

Ken Johnson writes wonderful books based on the Dead Sea Scrill discoveries

Thank you so much for your excellent scholarly research. These works declare the glory of Messiah Yeshua. Great testimony of Him.

it is partly very good for there are stories completing the bible stories witch is incredible but some of those testaments are repetative and talking the some over and over..

Came faster than expected, look perfect

This book is very well written, Dr. Johnson makes these books easy to use and understand. The history behind the biblical stories is SO informative and interesting. We really enjoyed this book! We are waiting for some more from him to arrive!