Book of Gad the Seer
Encyclopedia
The Book of Gad the Seer is a lost text that purports to have been written by the Biblical prophet Gad
. It is described at . The passage reads: "Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer
, and in the book of Nathan the prophet
, and in the book of Gad the seer." These writings of Nathan and Gad may have been included in 1 and 2 Samuel
.
This text is sometimes called Gad the Seer or The Acts of Gad the Seer.
The book itself is a manuscript from the Black Jews of Cochin, India. The manuscript now in the Cambridge Library was a relatively recent (19th century) copy, but apparently is copied from a document purportedly in Rome. The language indicates relatively late authorship and the content indicates a substantial acquaintance with Kabbalistic literature (which would make it no earlier than about the 11th century), as well as with some aspects of Christianity. It is, therefore, not regarded as dating back to antiquity.
Gad (Bible prophet)
Gad was a seer or prophet in the Hebrew Bible. He was one of the personal prophets of King David of Israel and some of his writings are believed to be included in the Books of Samuel...
. It is described at . The passage reads: "Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer
Book of Samuel the Seer
The Book of Samuel the Seer is a lost text.-Description:A description within Books of Chronicles 29:29, the passage reads:"Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the...
, and in the book of Nathan the prophet
Book of Nathan the Prophet
The Book of Nathan the Prophet is a lost text that claims authorship by the Biblical prophet Nathan. It is described at . The passage reads: "Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the...
, and in the book of Gad the seer." These writings of Nathan and Gad may have been included in 1 and 2 Samuel
Books of Samuel
The Books of Samuel in the Jewish bible are part of the Former Prophets, , a theological history of the Israelites affirming and explaining the Torah under the guidance of the prophets.Samuel begins by telling how the prophet Samuel is chosen by...
.
This text is sometimes called Gad the Seer or The Acts of Gad the Seer.
Background
Gad the seer was part of the tribe or group called the Gadites . They lived in the area called Gad near the river Gad in what is present day Jordan in the Middle East. Gadites were one of the 12 tribes of Israel and when the great split occurred they migrated north to present-day Italy on the Adriatic side and present-day Greece on the Adriatic side. Since last names were not in use, people used the first name with the phrase "of Gad," or "of the Gadites," etc., which then became last or surnames. Examples of Gadite last names are Gaditicus, Gadero, Gadaleta, Gadvecchia, Gadollini, Gadi, etc. Names like these were often changed slightly over the years to modern day last names.The book itself is a manuscript from the Black Jews of Cochin, India. The manuscript now in the Cambridge Library was a relatively recent (19th century) copy, but apparently is copied from a document purportedly in Rome. The language indicates relatively late authorship and the content indicates a substantial acquaintance with Kabbalistic literature (which would make it no earlier than about the 11th century), as well as with some aspects of Christianity. It is, therefore, not regarded as dating back to antiquity.
Contents
The book of Gad listed people, events, traditions, marriages, instructions, laws and other valuable information for Gadites to conduct their lives and businesses. An example would be the birth of Yeoshua bar Joseph of Bethlehem (now called Jesus from the Greek translation of his name) to be on September 15 on the modern calendar. What foods could be eaten on what days, when and how to worship Yahweh, how to set up a camp, when a man and a woman could lay down together.Deviant Art
Chapters Thirteen, One, and Two have been released on DeviantArt, however, no more chapters will likely be released, as the original translator is withholding the rest of the manuscript, and refuses to release any more.See also
- Table of books of Judeo-Christian Scripture
- Non-canonical books referenced in the BibleNon-canonical books referenced in the BibleThe non-canonical books in this article include Biblical apocrypha and Deuterocanonical books , Pseudepigrapha, writings from Hellenistic and other non-Biblical cultures, and lost works of known or unknown status...
- Lost workLost workA lost work is a document or literary work produced some time in the past of which no surviving copies are known to exist. Works may be lost to history either through the destruction of the original manuscript, or through the non-survival of any copies of the work. Deliberate destruction of works...