Jump to content

Amram: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m →‎In the Quran: clean up, typo(s) fixed: ’s → 's
 
(38 intermediate revisions by 18 users not shown)
Line 2: Line 2:
{{other uses}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox person

| name = Amram
| native_name = עַמְרָם
| native_name_lang = he
| birth_date = 14th–13th century BCE
| other_names = {{lang|ar|عمران}}<br />([[Arabic]]: [[Islam]])<br />{{lang|ar|عمرام}}<br />([[Arabic]]: [[Christianity]])
| known_for = Father of [[Aaron]], [[Moses]], and [[Miriam]] in the Book of Exodus
| spouse = [[Jochebed]]
| children = {{Plainlist|
* Aaron
* Moses
* Miriam
}}
| parents = {{Plainlist|
* Father: [[Kehath]] (according to the Masoretic Text)
}}
| relatives = {{Plainlist|
* Cousin and/or aunt (according to various interpretations): Jochebed
* Brothers: [[Izhar]], [[Hebron]], [[Uzziel]]
}}
}}
In the [[Book of Exodus]], '''Amram''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|m|r|æ|m}}; {{Hebrew Name|עַמְרָם|‘Amram|ʻAmrām|"Exalted people"{{\}}"The people are exalted"}}) is the husband of [[Jochebed]] and father of [[Aaron]], [[Moses]] and [[Miriam]].<ref>{{bibleverse||Exodus|6:20|}}</ref>
In the [[Book of Exodus]], '''Amram''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|m|r|æ|m}}; {{Hebrew Name|עַמְרָם|‘Amram|ʻAmrām|"Exalted people"{{\}}"The people are exalted"}}) is the husband of [[Jochebed]] and father of [[Aaron]], [[Moses]] and [[Miriam]].<ref>{{bibleverse||Exodus|6:20|}}</ref>


Line 10: Line 30:


Textual scholars attribute the biblical genealogy to the [[Book of Generations]], a hypothetically reconstructed document theorized to originate from a similar [[wiktionary:religiopolitical|religiopolitical]] group and date to the [[priestly source]].<ref>[[Richard Elliott Friedman]], ''Who Wrote The Bible?''</ref> According to [[Biblical criticism|critical scholars]], the Torah's genealogy for Levi's descendants, is actually an [[aetiology|aetiological]] [[myth]] reflecting the fact that there were four different groups among the [[Levites]] – the [[Gershonites]], [[Kohathites]], [[Merarites]], and [[Kohen|Aaronid]]s;<ref name = "wnsmyy">''[[Peake's Commentary on the Bible]]''</ref> Aaron – the eponymous ancestor of the Aaronids – could not be portrayed as a brother to [[Gershon]], [[Kohath]], and [[Merari]], as the narrative about the birth of Moses (brother of Aaron), which textual scholars attribute to the earlier [[Elohist]] source, mentions only that ''both'' his parents were Levites (without identifying their names).<ref>{{Bibleverse||Exodus|2:1–2|}}</ref> Critical scholars suspect that the Elohist account offers both [[matrilinear descent|matrilineal]] and [[patrilinear descent|patrilineal]] descent from Levites in order to magnify the religious credentials of Moses.<ref name = "wnsmyy"/>
Textual scholars attribute the biblical genealogy to the [[Book of Generations]], a hypothetically reconstructed document theorized to originate from a similar [[wiktionary:religiopolitical|religiopolitical]] group and date to the [[priestly source]].<ref>[[Richard Elliott Friedman]], ''Who Wrote The Bible?''</ref> According to [[Biblical criticism|critical scholars]], the Torah's genealogy for Levi's descendants, is actually an [[aetiology|aetiological]] [[myth]] reflecting the fact that there were four different groups among the [[Levites]] – the [[Gershonites]], [[Kohathites]], [[Merarites]], and [[Kohen|Aaronid]]s;<ref name = "wnsmyy">''[[Peake's Commentary on the Bible]]''</ref> Aaron – the eponymous ancestor of the Aaronids – could not be portrayed as a brother to [[Gershon]], [[Kohath]], and [[Merari]], as the narrative about the birth of Moses (brother of Aaron), which textual scholars attribute to the earlier [[Elohist]] source, mentions only that ''both'' his parents were Levites (without identifying their names).<ref>{{Bibleverse||Exodus|2:1–2|}}</ref> Critical scholars suspect that the Elohist account offers both [[matrilinear descent|matrilineal]] and [[patrilinear descent|patrilineal]] descent from Levites in order to magnify the religious credentials of Moses.<ref name = "wnsmyy"/>

== In the Quran ==

''Amram'' in Arabic is spelled {{lang|ar|عمران}} (''‘Imrān'' {{IPAc-en|ɪ|m|ˈ|r|ɑː|n}}). He was the father of [[Moses in Islam|Musa]] and [[Aaron in Islam|Harun]]. In the Quran there is a whole chapter named [[Al-Imran]]. He is sometimes confused with Maryam's father, whose name is also Imran, mentioned in at least two verses as the father of [[Mary in Islam|Maryam]], the mother of [[Jesus in Islam|Isa]]. This is reflected by the given name, Mūsā bin ‘Imrān, which means Moses, son of Amram.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wbg1AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA52|title=A History of Jewish-Muslim Relations: From the Origins to the Present Day|first1=Abdelwahab|last1=Meddeb|first2=Benjamin|last2=Stora|date=November 27, 2013|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=9781400849130|access-date=September 2, 2019|via=Google Books}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=June 2023}}


== Family tree ==
== Family tree ==
Line 36: Line 52:
{{tree chart/start}}
{{tree chart/start}}
{{tree chart| }}
{{tree chart| }}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | | | LEV |~|y|~| WIF | LEV=[[Levi]]|WIF=(unnamed)}}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | | | LEV |~|y|~| WIF | LEV=[[Levi]]|WIF=Adina}}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | }}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | }}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.}}
{{tree chart| | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.}}
Line 72: Line 88:
== In rabbinical and apocryphal literature ==
== In rabbinical and apocryphal literature ==


In the [[Apocrypha]]l ''[[Testament of Levi]]'', it is stated that Amram was born, as a grandson of [[Levi]], when Levi was 64 years old.<ref>''Testament of the Patriarchs'', Levi:12</ref> The [[Exodus Rabbah]] argues that when the Pharaoh instructed midwives to throw male children into the Nile, Amram divorced Jochebed, who was three months pregnant with Moses at the time, arguing that there was no justification for the Israelite men to father children if they were just to be killed;<ref name = "ssdjlv">Exodus Rabbah 1:17</ref> however, the text goes on to state that Miriam, his daughter, chided him for his lack of care for his wife's feelings, persuading him to recant and marry Jochebed again.<ref name = "ssdjlv"/> According to the [[Talmud]], Amram promulgated the laws of marriage and divorce amongst the Jews in Egypt;{{Citation needed|date=November 2007}} the Talmud also argues that Amram had extreme longevity, which he used to ensure that doctrines were preserved through several generations.<ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia''</ref>
In the [[Apocrypha]]l ''[[Testament of Levi]]'', it is stated that Amram was born as a grandson of [[Levi]] when Levi was 64 years old.<ref>''Testament of the Patriarchs'', Levi:12</ref> The [[Exodus Rabbah]] argues that when the Pharaoh instructed midwives to throw male children into the Nile, Amram divorced Jochebed, who was three months pregnant with Moses at the time, arguing that there was no justification for the Israelite men to father children if they were just to be killed;<ref name = "ssdjlv">Exodus Rabbah 1:17</ref> however, the text goes on to state that Miriam, his daughter, chided him for his lack of care for his wife's feelings, persuading him to recant and marry Jochebed again.<ref name = "ssdjlv"/> According to the [[Talmud]], Amram promulgated the laws of marriage and divorce amongst the Jews in Egypt;{{Citation needed|date=November 2007}} the Talmud also argues that Amram had extreme longevity, which he used to ensure that doctrines were preserved through several generations.<ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia''</ref>


Despite the legend of his divorce and remarriage, Amram was also held to have been entirely sinless throughout his life, and was rewarded for this by his corpse remaining without any signs of decay.<ref>[[Baba Batra]] 17a</ref> The other three ancient Israelites who died without sin, being [[Benjamin]], [[Jesse (biblical figure)|Jesse]] and [[Chileab]].
Despite the legend of his divorce and remarriage, Amram was also held to have been entirely sinless throughout his life and was rewarded for this by his corpse remaining without any signs of decay.<ref>[[Baba Batra]] 17a</ref> The other three ancient Israelites who died without sin, being [[Benjamin]], [[Jesse (biblical figure)|Jesse]] and [[Chileab]].


According to the [[Book of Jubilees]], Amram was among the Israelites who took the bones of Jacob's sons (excluding those of [[Joseph (Genesis)|Joseph]]) to [[Canaan]] for burial in the [[cave of Machpelah]].<ref name="Jubilees 46:11">Jubilees 46:11</ref> Most of the Israelites then returned to Egypt but some remained in Canaan. Those who remained included Amram, who only returned somewhere up to forty years later.
According to the [[Book of Jubilees]], Amram was among the Israelites who took the bones of Jacob's sons (excluding those of [[Joseph (Genesis)|Joseph]]) to [[Canaan]] for burial in the [[cave of Machpelah]].<ref name="Jubilees 46:11">Jubilees 46:11</ref> Most of the Israelites then returned to Egypt but some remained in Canaan. Those who remained included Amram, who only returned somewhere up to forty years later.
Line 80: Line 96:
One of the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] (4Q544, Manuscript B) is written from Amram's point of view, and hence has been dubbed the ''[[Visions of Amram]]''. The document is dated to the 2nd century BC and, in the form of a vision, briefly discusses dualism and the [[Watcher (angel)|Watchers]]:
One of the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] (4Q544, Manuscript B) is written from Amram's point of view, and hence has been dubbed the ''[[Visions of Amram]]''. The document is dated to the 2nd century BC and, in the form of a vision, briefly discusses dualism and the [[Watcher (angel)|Watchers]]:
{{Blockquote|I saw Watchers in my vision, the dream-vision. Two men were fighting over me...holding a great contest over me. I asked them, 'Who are you, that you are thus empowered over me?' They answered, 'We have been empowered and rule over all mankind.' They said to me, 'Which of us do you choose to rule you?' I raised my eyes and looked. One of them was terrifying in his appearance, like a serpent, his cloak, many-colored yet very dark....And I looked again, and in his appearance, his visage like a [[Viperidae|viper]]....I replied to him, 'This Watcher, who is he?' He answered, 'This Watcher...his three names are [[Belial]] and Prince of Darkness and King of Evil.' I said (to the other Watcher), 'My lord, what dominion (have you?)' He answered, 'You saw (the viper), and he is empowered over all Darkness, while I (am empowered over all Light.)...My three names are [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]], Prince of Light and King of Righteousness.<ref>translation by Prof. Robert Eisenman</ref>}}
{{Blockquote|I saw Watchers in my vision, the dream-vision. Two men were fighting over me...holding a great contest over me. I asked them, 'Who are you, that you are thus empowered over me?' They answered, 'We have been empowered and rule over all mankind.' They said to me, 'Which of us do you choose to rule you?' I raised my eyes and looked. One of them was terrifying in his appearance, like a serpent, his cloak, many-colored yet very dark....And I looked again, and in his appearance, his visage like a [[Viperidae|viper]]....I replied to him, 'This Watcher, who is he?' He answered, 'This Watcher...his three names are [[Belial]] and Prince of Darkness and King of Evil.' I said (to the other Watcher), 'My lord, what dominion (have you?)' He answered, 'You saw (the viper), and he is empowered over all Darkness, while I (am empowered over all Light.)...My three names are [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]], Prince of Light and King of Righteousness.<ref>translation by Prof. Robert Eisenman</ref>}}

== See also ==
* [[Al Imran]], "The Family of Imran", 3rd chapter of the Quran
*[[Joachim]], father of [[Mary, mother of Jesus]]


== References ==
== References ==
Line 95: Line 107:
[[Category:Book of Exodus people]]
[[Category:Book of Exodus people]]
[[Category:People of the Quran]]
[[Category:People of the Quran]]
[[Category:Moses]]
[[Category:Family of Aaron and Moses]]
[[Category:Family of Aaron]]
[[Category:Tribe of Levi]]
[[Category:Tribe of Levi]]
[[Category:Book of Jubilees]]
[[Category:Book of Jubilees]]
[[Category:Epistle to the Hebrews]]
[[Category:Epistle to the Hebrews]]
[[Category:Incest in mythology]]

Latest revision as of 02:55, 22 August 2024

For other uses, see Amram (disambiguation).

Amram
עַמְרָם
Born14th–13th century BCE
Other namesعمران
(Arabic: Islam)
عمرام
(Arabic: Christianity)
Known forFather of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam in the Book of Exodus
SpouseJochebed
Children
  • Aaron
  • Moses
  • Miriam
Parent
  • Father: Kehath (according to the Masoretic Text)
Relatives
  • Cousin and/or aunt (according to various interpretations): Jochebed
  • Brothers: Izhar, Hebron, Uzziel

In the Book of Exodus, Amram (/ˈæmræm/; Hebrew: עַמְרָם, Modern: ‘Amram, Tiberian: ʻAmrām, "Exalted people" / "The people are exalted") is the husband of Jochebed and father of Aaron, Moses and Miriam.[1]

In the Bible

[edit]

In addition to being married to Jochebed, Amram is also described in the Bible as having been related to Jochebed prior to the marriage, although the exact relationship is uncertain; some Greek and Latin manuscripts of the Septuagint state that Jochebed was Amram's father's cousin, and others state that Amram was Jochebed's cousin,[2] but the Masoretic Text states that she was his father's sister.[3] He is praised for his faith in the Epistle to the Hebrews.[4]

Textual scholars attribute the biblical genealogy to the Book of Generations, a hypothetically reconstructed document theorized to originate from a similar religiopolitical group and date to the priestly source.[5] According to critical scholars, the Torah's genealogy for Levi's descendants, is actually an aetiological myth reflecting the fact that there were four different groups among the Levites – the Gershonites, Kohathites, Merarites, and Aaronids;[6] Aaron – the eponymous ancestor of the Aaronids – could not be portrayed as a brother to Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, as the narrative about the birth of Moses (brother of Aaron), which textual scholars attribute to the earlier Elohist source, mentions only that both his parents were Levites (without identifying their names).[7] Critical scholars suspect that the Elohist account offers both matrilineal and patrilineal descent from Levites in order to magnify the religious credentials of Moses.[6]

Family tree

[edit]

According to the Masoretic Text, Amram's family tree would be:

Levi(unnamed)
GershonKehathMerari
JochebedAmramIzharHebronUzziel
MiriamAaronMoses

According to the Septuagint, Amram's family tree would be as follows:

LeviAdina
GershonKohathMerari
related
JochebedAmramIzharHebronUzziel
MiriamAaronMoses

According to The Book of Jasher (Midrash), Amram's family tree would be:

Eber
Yoktan
Jobab
LeviAdinah[8]
GershonKehathMerari
JochebedAmramIzharHebronUzziel
MiriamAaronMoses

Amram married his aunt, Jochebed, the sister of his father Kehath.[9]

In rabbinical and apocryphal literature

[edit]

In the Apocryphal Testament of Levi, it is stated that Amram was born as a grandson of Levi when Levi was 64 years old.[10] The Exodus Rabbah argues that when the Pharaoh instructed midwives to throw male children into the Nile, Amram divorced Jochebed, who was three months pregnant with Moses at the time, arguing that there was no justification for the Israelite men to father children if they were just to be killed;[11] however, the text goes on to state that Miriam, his daughter, chided him for his lack of care for his wife's feelings, persuading him to recant and marry Jochebed again.[11] According to the Talmud, Amram promulgated the laws of marriage and divorce amongst the Jews in Egypt;[citation needed] the Talmud also argues that Amram had extreme longevity, which he used to ensure that doctrines were preserved through several generations.[12]

Despite the legend of his divorce and remarriage, Amram was also held to have been entirely sinless throughout his life and was rewarded for this by his corpse remaining without any signs of decay.[13] The other three ancient Israelites who died without sin, being Benjamin, Jesse and Chileab.

According to the Book of Jubilees, Amram was among the Israelites who took the bones of Jacob's sons (excluding those of Joseph) to Canaan for burial in the cave of Machpelah.[14] Most of the Israelites then returned to Egypt but some remained in Canaan. Those who remained included Amram, who only returned somewhere up to forty years later.

One of the Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q544, Manuscript B) is written from Amram's point of view, and hence has been dubbed the Visions of Amram. The document is dated to the 2nd century BC and, in the form of a vision, briefly discusses dualism and the Watchers:

I saw Watchers in my vision, the dream-vision. Two men were fighting over me...holding a great contest over me. I asked them, 'Who are you, that you are thus empowered over me?' They answered, 'We have been empowered and rule over all mankind.' They said to me, 'Which of us do you choose to rule you?' I raised my eyes and looked. One of them was terrifying in his appearance, like a serpent, his cloak, many-colored yet very dark....And I looked again, and in his appearance, his visage like a viper....I replied to him, 'This Watcher, who is he?' He answered, 'This Watcher...his three names are Belial and Prince of Darkness and King of Evil.' I said (to the other Watcher), 'My lord, what dominion (have you?)' He answered, 'You saw (the viper), and he is empowered over all Darkness, while I (am empowered over all Light.)...My three names are Michael, Prince of Light and King of Righteousness.[15]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Exodus 6:20
  2. ^ "Exodus Chapter 6:20". www.ecmarsh.com. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  3. ^ New American Bible, footnote to Exodus 6:20
  4. ^ Hebrews 11:23
  5. ^ Richard Elliott Friedman, Who Wrote The Bible?
  6. ^ a b Peake's Commentary on the Bible
  7. ^ Exodus 2:1–2
  8. ^ The Book of Jasher, Chapter 45, Verse 5-6
  9. ^ The Book of Jasher 67:2; see also Exodus 6:20
  10. ^ Testament of the Patriarchs, Levi:12
  11. ^ a b Exodus Rabbah 1:17
  12. ^ Jewish Encyclopedia
  13. ^ Baba Batra 17a
  14. ^ Jubilees 46:11
  15. ^ translation by Prof. Robert Eisenman
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amram&oldid=1241597292"