IV. The Figure Of Adam In Pseudo-Philo’s Biblical Antiquities

Abstract

John Levison's book entitled Portraits of Adam in Early Judaism, has taken a forthright stand against many of the methods and assumptions which have helped to create the notions of an 'Adam myth'. Levison strangely leaves out of account the Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum (LAB), which is a retelling of Biblical narrative from Genesis to I Samuel with many haggadic comments and additions. This chapter analyzes and comments on those parts of LAB which speak of Adam. It relates the results of the analysis to Levison's work. The chapter links the three figures of Moses, Noah, and Adam, and relates them to Israel's cult. This cult, which Moses establishes at God's command and which uses physical objects which have been divinely shown to him, is understood by LAB as giving substance to the covenant which God made with Noah, that cosmos would be stable and fertility of the earth be assured.Keywords: Adam; biblical narrative; Israel; John Levison; Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum (LAB); Moses; Noah; Portraits of Adam in Early Judaism; Pseudo-Philo