The Divine Glory motif in Pseudepigraphical and associated Literatures,
Stephen Lambden UCMerced.
In progress 1980s-2022.
Testament of Levi, VIII. Chapter 8 1ff
"And there again I saw a vision even as the former, after we had spent there seventy days. 2 And I saw seven men in white raiment saying unto me: Arise, put on the robe of the priesthood, and the crown of righteousness, and the breastplate of understanding, and the garment of truth, and the plate of faith, and the turban of the head, and the ephod of prophecy. 3 And they severally carried (these things) and put (them) on me, and said unto me: From henceforth become a priest of the Lord, thou and thy seed for ever. 4 And the first anointed me with holy oil, and gave to me the staff of judgement. 5 The second washed me with pure water, and fed me with bread and wine (even) the most holy things, and clad me with a holy and glorious robe. 6 The third clothed me with a linen vestment like an ephod. 7 The fourth put round me a girdle like unto purple. 8 The fifth gave me a branch of rich olive.9 The sixth placed a crown on my head. 10 The seventh placed on my head a diadem of priesthood, and filled my hands with incense, that I might serve as priest to the Lord God. 11 And they said to me:
Levi, thy seed shall be divided into three offices,
for a sign of the glory of the Lord who is to come.
12 And the first portion shall be great; yea, greater than it shall none be. 13 The second shall be in the priesthood. 14 And the third shall be called by a new name, because a king shall arise in Judah, and shall establish a new priesthood, after the fashion of the Gentiles to all the Gentiles. 15 And his presence is beloved, as a prophet of the Most High, of the seed of Abraham our father. 16 Therefore, every desirable thing in Israel shall be for thee and for thy seed, And ye shall eat everything fair to look upon, And the table of the Lord shall thy seed apportion. 17 And some of them shall be high priests, and judges, and scribes; for by their mouth shall the holy place be guarded. 18 And when I awoke, I understood that this (dream) was like the first dream. 19 And I hid this also in my heart, and told it not to any man upon the earth.
"Levi, thy seed shall be divided into three offices, for a sign of the glory of the lord ( ) who is to come."
