Numénius et les traditions juives : la confrontation de Moïse avec Jannès et Jambrès (Num. 18 F = fr. 9 dP)

Abstract

In the only surviving fragment from the third book of the Περὶ τἀγαθοῦ, Numenius reports an unknown version of the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh’s magicians: he names them Jannes and Jambres and describes them as two scribes and magicians elected by the Egyptian crowd as the only ones to be able to suppress the scourges introduced by the priest of the Jews in Egypt. The story is surprising because of its differences when compared with the Old Testament: in the Book of Exodus, neither of the magicians is named; they are not elected by the crowd and the plagues sent by God through Moses eventually win over Pharaoh. Furthermore, in the Bible, Moses is no more named Musaeus than Exodus itself is seen as the expulsion of the Jews from Egypt. This paper aims at explaining these differences by tracing the Jewish, Greek and Egyptian sources from which Numenius’ story could come. To this effect, it also deals with Numenius’ goal. In the first transmitted fragment from the Περὶ τἀγαθοῦ (10 F = fr. 1 dP), Numenius announces his project of illustrating his interpretation of Plato united with Pythagoras through the traditions of the peoples with venerable religions. The fragment from the third book obviously implements this program. Eusebius ignores Numenius’ interpretation of the story. The paper aims at finding it again and ends by exploring more thoroughly the reception of this text by Origen and Eusebius.