Chapter Xxix.Of Moses And The Children Of Israel : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 47 CHAPTER XXIX2. OF MOSES AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL3. AFTER Joseph was dead, and another king had arisen who knew not the Israelitish people, the people increased and became strong in Egypt. And Pharaoh was afraid of them, and laid a burden up...
Preface : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. iii PREFACE. OF the author of 'the Book of the Bee,' the bishop Shelmn or Solomon, but very little is known. He was a native of Khilt or Akhlt (in Armenia, at the western end of lake Vn), and by religious profession a Nestorian. He became...
Chapter Xlv.Of The Resurrection Of Our Lord : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 99 CHAPTER XLV4. OF THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD. SINCE the history of our Lord's Passion and Resurrection is recorded in the Gospel, there is no need to repeat it (here). After our Lord rose from the dead, He appeared ten times. First, to Mary...
Chapter Xxx.The History Of Moses' Rod : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 50 CHAPTER XXX1. THE HISTORY OF MOSES' ROD. WHEN Adam and Eve went forth from Paradise, Adam, as if knowing that he was never to return to his place, cut off a branch from the tree of good and evil--which is the fig-tree--and took it with him...
Chapter Li.The Names Of The Eastern Catholics : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 116 CHAPTER LI. THE NAMES OF THE EASTERN CATHOLICS, THE SUCCESSORS OF THE APOSTLES ADDAI AND MR1. 1. Addai was buried in Edessa. 2. Mr (was buried) in the convent of Kn2. 3. Abrs, called in Greek A[m]brosius; the place of his grave is unknown; he...
Chapter Xxxiii.Of The Messianic Generations : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 73 CHAPTER XXXIII4. OF THE MESSIANIC GENERATIONS5. GOD created Adam. Adam begat Seth. Seth begat Enos. Enos begat Kainn. Kainn begat Mahalaleel. Mahalaleel begat Jared. p. 74 Jared begat Enoch. Enoch begat Methuselah. Methuselah begat Lamech. Lamech...
Chapter Xliii.Of The Passover Of Our Lord : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 92 CHAPTER XLIII1. OF THE PASSOVER OF OUR LORD2. WHEN the time of the Passover came, He sent two of His disciples to a man with whom they were not acquainted, saying, 'When ye enter the city, behold, there will meet you a man carrying a pitcher...
Notes To The Hypertext Transcription : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index THE BOOK OF THE BEE NOTES TO THE HYPERTEXT TRANSCRIPTION The "Book of the Bee" is a Nestorian Christian sacred history. According to Budge it was written ca. A.D. 1222 by a Syrian bishop named Solomon (Shelmn). There is very little about the work itself...
Chapter Xii.Of The Creation Of Beasts And Animals : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 15 CHAPTER XII1. OF THE CREATION OF BEASTS AND ANIMALS. ON Friday eve God created them2, and therefore animals can see at night as well as in the day time. Others say that they were all created in the morning, and that God created Adam after them...
Chapter L.Of Some Minor Matters : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 115 CHAPTER L1. OF SOME MINOR MATTERS. THESE are they who were married among the apostles: Peter, the chief of the apostles; Philip the Evangelist; Paul; Nathaniel, who is Bartholomew; Labbaeus, who is Thaddaeus, who is Judah the son of Jacob; Sim...
Chapter Xxxi.Of Joshua The Son Of Nun : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 65 CHAPTER XXXI8. OF JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN, AND BRIEF NOTICES OF THE YEARS OF THE JUDGES AND THE KINGS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. AFTER Moses was dead, God said to Joshua the son of Nun, 'Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this...
Chapter Vi.Of Darkness : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 12 CHAPTER VI1. OF DARKNESS. DARKNESS is a self-existent nature; and if it had not had a nature, it would not have been reckoned among the seven natures which were created in the beginning in silence. Others say that darkness is not a self-existent...
Chapter V.Of The Angels : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 9 CHAPTER V2. OF THE ANGELS3. THE Angels consist of nine classes and three orders, upper, middle and lower. The upper order is composed of Cherubim, Seraphim, and Thrones: these are called 'priests' ("kumr"), and 'chief priests,' and 'bearers...
Chapter Xviii.Of Adam's Knowing Eve : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 24 CHAPTER XVIII3. OF ADAM'S KNOWING EVE. WHEN Adam and Eve went forth from Paradise, they were both virgins. After thirty years Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived p. 25 and brought forth Cain together with his sister Kelmath at one birth1...
Introduction : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 1 THE BOOK OF THE BEE. TRUSTING in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, we begin to write this book of gleanings called 'The Bee,' which was composed by the saint of God, Mr Solomon, metropolitan of Perath-Maishn1, that is Bassorah (al-Basrah), one...
Chapter Iii.Of Earth, Water, Air, And Fire : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 7 CHAPTER III5. OF EARTH, WATER, AIR, AND FIRE. THE earth was "th we-bh"6, that is to say, it was unarranged and unadorned, but plunged in the midst of the waters. The waters were p. 8 above it, and above the waters was air, and above the air w...
Chapter Xlviii.Of The Teaching Of The Apostles : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 103 CHAPTER XLVIII2. OF THE TEACHING OF THE APOSTLES, AND OF THE PLACES OF EACH ONE OF THEM, AND OF THEIR DEATHS3. NEXT we write the excellent discourse composed by Mr Eusebius of Caesarea upon the places and families of the holy apostles. Know then...
Chapter Xxv.Of Abraham : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 42 CHAPTER XXV1. OF ABRAHAM2. TERAH the father of Abraham took two wives; the one called Yn, by whom he begat Abraham; the other called Shelmath, by whom he begat Sarah. Mr Theodore says that Sarah was the daughter of Abraham's uncle, and puts...
Chapter Xlii.Of Our Lord's Fast. Of The Strife : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 91 CHAPTER XLII4. OF OUR LORD'S FAST; OF THE STRIFE WHICH HE WAGED WITH THE DEVIL5; AND OF THE MIGHTY DEEDS THAT HE WROUGHT. TWO days after His baptism, He chose eight of the twelve disciples; and on the third day He changed the water into wine...
Chapter Xlix.The Names Of The Apostles In Order : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 113 CHAPTER XLIX. THE NAMES OF THE APOSTLES IN ORDER3. THE names of the twelve. Simon Peter; Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John his brother; Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus; Labbaeus, who...
Chapter Ix.Of The Creation Of Trees And Plants : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 13 CHAPTER IX2. OF THE CREATION OF TREES AND PLANTS, AND THE MAKING OF SEAS AND RIVERS. ON the third day God commanded that the waters should be gathered together into the pits and depths of the earth, and that the dry land should appear3. When...
Chapter Xl.Of Our Lord's Going Down Into Egypt : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 86 CHAPTER XL4. OF OUR LORD'S GOING DOWN INTO EGYPT5. WHEN the Magi had returned to their country, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and said to him, 'Arise, take the Child p. 87 and His mother, and flee to Egypt; and stay there...
Chapter Xx.Of Noah And The Flood : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 30 CHAPTER XX3. OF NOAH AND THE FLOOD4. WHEN Noah was five hundred years old, he took a wife from the daughters of Seth; and there were born to him three sons, Shem, Ham and Japhet. And God saw Noah's uprightness and integrity, while all men were...
Chapter Xv.Of Paradise : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 19 CHAPTER XV5. OF PARADISE. IN the eastern part of the earth, on the mountain of Eden, beyond the ocean, God planted Paradise, and adorned it with fruit-bearing trees of all kinds, that it might be a dwelling-place for Adam and his progeny, if they...
Chapter Xxiv.Of The Building Of The Tower : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 41 CHAPTER XXIV4. OF THE BUILDING OF THE TOWER AND THE DIVISION OF TONGUES5. WHEN Reu was born in the days of Peleg, the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japhet, together with Arphaxar and their children, were gathered together in Shinar. And they took...
Chapter Xxvii.Of The Blessings Of Isaac : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 45 CHAPTER XXVII1. OF THE BLESSINGS OF ISAAC2. JACOB was seventy-seven years old when his father Isaac blessed him; and he stole the blessings and birthright from his brother Esau, and fled from before his brother to Harrn. On the first night Jacob...
Chapter Lviii.Of The Manner And State : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 135 CHAPTER LVIII3. OF THE MANNER AND STATE IN WHICH MEN WILL RISE IN THE DAY OF THE RESURRECTION. ALL classes and conditions of men will rise from the dead in the state of the perfect form of Christ, about thirty-three years of age, even as our p...
Untitled : Sacred-Texts Christianity THE BOOK OF THE BEE Edited And Translated By EARNEST A. WALLIS BUDGE, M.A. [Oxford, The Clarendon Press] [1886] {scanned And Edited By Christopher M. Weimer, May 2002} note to the hypertext transcription Title Page Preface Introduction Chapter I - Of God's Eternal...
Chapter Iv.Of Heaven : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 8 CHAPTER IV4. OF HEAVEN. HEAVEN is like a roof to the material world, and will serve as the floor of the new world. It is by nature shining and glorious, and is the dwelling-place of the invisible hosts. When God spread out this firmament, He...
Chapter Xli.Of John The Baptist, : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 89 CHAPTER XLI1. OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, AND OF THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD2. JOHN the Baptist lived thirty yeats in the desert with the wild beasts; and after thirty years he came from the wilderness to the habitations of men. From the day when his father...
Chapter Liv.Of Gog And Magog, Who Are Imprisoned : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 127 CHAPTER LIV1. OF GOG AND MAGOG, WHO ARE IMPRISONED IN THE NORTH. WHEN Alexander was king and had subdued countries and cities, and had arrived in the East, he saw on the confines of the East those men who are of the children of Japhet. They were...
Chapter Xxxvi.Of The Birth Of Our Lord : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 79 CHAPTER XXXVI3. OF THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD IN THE FLESH. ONE year before the annunciation of our Lord, the emperor of the Romans sent to the land of Palestine Cyrinus4 the governor, to write p. 80 down every one for the poll-tax, for the Jews were...
Chapter Lv.Of The Coming Of The Antichrist : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 129 CHAPTER LV3. OF THE COMING OF THE ANTICHRIST, THE SON OF PERDITION. IN a week and half a week4 after the destruction of these wretches shall the son of destruction appear. He shall be conceived in Chorazin, born in Bethsaida, and reared...
Chapter Xi.Of The Creation Of Sea Monsters : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 14 CHAPTER XI4. OF THE CREATION OF SEA-MONSTERS, FISH, WINGED FOWL, AND THE REPTILES THAT ARE IN THE SEAS. ON the fifth day of the week God made from the waters mighty sea-monsters5, fish, winged fowl, swimming beasts, and the reptiles that are...
Chapter Lx.Whether Mercy Will Be Shewn : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous p. 139 CHAPTER LX1. WHETHER MERCY WILL BE SHEWN TO SINNERS AND THE DEVILS IN GEHENNA, AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN TORMENTED AND SUFFERED AND BEEN PUNISHED, OR NOT? AND IF MERCY IS TO BE SHEWN TO THEM, WHEN WILL IT BE? SOME of the Fathers terrify us beyond our...
Chapter Liii.Of The End Of Times : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 124 CHAPTER LIII3. OF THE END OF TIMES AND THE CHANGE OF KINGDOMS4; FROM THE BOOK OF METHODIUS, BISHOP OF ROME5. IN this seventh and last millennium will the kingdom of the Persians be destroyed. In it will the children of Ishmael go forth...
Chapter Xix.Of The Invention Of The Instruments : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 29 CHAPTER XIX2. OF THE INVENTION OF THE INSTRUMENTS FOR WORKING IN IRON3. SOME say that Cainan4 and Tubal-cain, who were of the family of Cain, were the first who invented the three tools of the art of working in iron, the anvil, hammer and tongs...
Chapter Xlvii.Of The Descent Of The Holy : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 102 CHAPTER XLVII3. OF THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UPON THE APOSTLES IN THE UPPER CHAMBER. TEN days after our Lord's Ascension, when the holy apostles were assembled in the upper chamber waiting for the promise of our Lord, of a sudden...
Chapter Xxviii.Of Joseph : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 46 CHAPTER XXVIII5. OF JOSEPH6. AFTER Jacob's sons had been born to him by Leah, then Joseph and Benjamin were born to him (by Rachel); and he loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the child of (his) old age, and because of his...
Chapter Xxiii.Of The Succession Of Generations : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 38 CHAPTER XXIII4. OF THE SUCCESSION OF GENERATIONS FROM THE FLOOD UNTIL NOW5. SHEM was a hundred years old, and begat Arphaxar two years after the flood; the sum of his years was six hundred. Arphaxar was a p. 39 hundred and thirty-five years old...
Notes To The Transcription : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Next THE BOOK OF THE BEE THE SYRIAC TEXT EDITED FROM THE MANUSCRIPTS IN LONDON, OXFORD, AND MUNICH "WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION" BY ERNEST A. WALLIS BUDGE, M.A. LATE SCHOLAR OF CHRIST'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND TYRWHITT SCHOLAR ASSISTANT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EGYPTI...
Chapter Lvi.Of Death And The Departure : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 131 CHAPTER LVI1. OF DEATH AND THE DEPARTURE OF THE SOUL FROM THE BODY. THE foundation of all good and precious things, of all the greatness of God's gifts, of His true love, and of our arriving in His presence, is Death. Men die in five ways...
Chapter Lii.The Names Of The Kings Who Have : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 120 CHAPTER LII. THE NAMES OF THE KINGS WHO HAVE REIGNED IN THE WORLD FROM THE FLOOD UNTIL NOW. THE MEDIAN KINGS WHO REIGNED IN BABYLON. Darius the son of Vashtasp (Hystaspes) reigned 24 years. Ahshresh (Xerxes) his son, 20 years. Artahshisht...
Chapter Viii.Of The Firmament : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 12 CHAPTER VIII6. OF THE FIRMAMENT. ON the evening of the second day of the week, God willed to divide the heavens from the earth, that there might be luminaries and stars beneath the heavens to give light to this world, and that the heavens might...
Chapter Ii.Of The Creation Of The Seven Natures : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 7 CHAPTER II4. OF THE CREATION OF THE SEVEN NATURES (SUBSTANCES) IN SILENCE. WHEN God in His mercy wished to make known all His power and His wisdom, in the beginning, on the evening of the first day, which is Sunday, He created seven natures...
Chapter Xxxii.Of The Death Of The Prophets : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 69 CHAPTER XXXII4. OF THE DEATH OF THE PROPHETS; HOW THEY DlED, AND (WHERE) EACH ONE OF THEM WAS BURIED5. MANASSEH the son of Hezekiah slew Isaiah with a wooden saw; he was buried before the outfall of the waters which Hezekiah concealed by the side...
Chapter Xxxix.Of The Coming Of The Magi : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 84 CHAPTER XXXIX1. OF THE COMING OF THE MAGI FROM PERSIA. WHEN Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judah, and the star appeared to the Magi in the east, twelve Persian kings took offerings--gold and myrrh and frankincense--and came to worship Him. Their...
Chapter Xxxviii.Of The Star Which Appeared : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 82 CHAPTER XXXVIII2. OF THE STAR WHICH APPEARED IN THE EAST ON THE DAY OF THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD. SOME say that that star appeared to the Magi simultaneously with the birth of our Lord. As for Herod's commanding that all children from two years old...
Chapter Xiv.Of The Making Of Eve : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 18 CHAPTER XIV2. OF THE MAKING OF EVE. GOD said, 'Let us make a helper for Adam3.' And He threw upon Adam a sleep and stupor, and took one of his ribs from his left side, and put flesh in its place, and of it He formed Eve. He did not make her...
Chapter X.Of The Making Of The Luminaries : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 14 CHAPTER X1. OF THE MAKING OF THE LUMINARIES2. ON the fourth day God made the luminaries--sun, moon, and stars--of three substances, air, light, and fire. He took aerial material and prepared vessels like lamps, and mixed fire with light...
Chapter Xvii.Of The Expulsion Of Adam : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 23 CHAPTER XVII1. OF THE EXPULSION OF ADAM AND EVE FROM PARADISE. AFTER God had expelled them from Paradise, like wicked servants driven forth from the inheritance of their master, and had cast them into exile, over the gate at the eastern side...
Chapter I.Of God's Eternal Intention In Respect : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 6 CHAPTER I1. OF GOD'S ETERNAL INTENTION IN RESPECT OF THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE. IT is well for us to take the materials for our discourse from the divine Scriptures, that we may not stray from the straight paths of the way of truth. The blessed...
Chapter Xliv.Of The Passion Of Our Lord : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 94 CHAPTER XLIV1. OF THE PASSION OF OUR LORD. THREE years and three months after His baptism, Judas Iscariot the son of Simon betrayed his Lord to death. He was called Iscariot (Sekharit) from the name of his town (Sekharit), and he had the sixth...
Chapter Xxvi.Of The Temptation Of Job : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 43 CHAPTER XXVI2. OF THE TEMPTATION OF JOB3. THERE was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And he was a perfect, righteous and God-fearing man; and there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. The number of his possessions w...
Chapter Xxxvii.The Prophecy Of Zaradosht : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 81 CHAPTER XXXVII1. THE PROPHECY OF ZRDSHT CONCERNING OUR LORD. THIS Zrdsht is Baruch the scribe. When he was sitting by the fountain of water called Glsh of Hrn, where the royal bath had been erected, he said to his disciples, the king Gshnsph2...
Chapter Xlvi.Of The Ascension Of Our Lord : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 100 CHAPTER XLVI7. OF THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD TO HEAVEN. AFTER our Redeemer had risen from the grave, and had gone about in the world forty days, He appeared to His disciples ten times, and ate and drank with them by the side of the Se...
Chapter Lvii.Of The Quickening And The General : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 133 CHAPTER LVII1. OF THE QUICKENING AND THE GENERAL RESURRECTION, THE CONSUMMATION OF THE MATERIAL WORLD AND THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW WORLD. AFTER Elijah comes and conquers the son of destruction, and encourages the believers, for a space...
Chapter Xxii.Of The Generations Of Noah : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 36 CHAPTER XXII1. OF THE GENERATIONS OF NOAH2. "The children of Shem". The people of Shem are twenty and seven families. Elam, from whom sprang the Elamites; Asshur, from whom sprang the Assyrians (thry); Arphaxar3, from whom sprang the Persians;...
Chapter Xxxiv.Of The Annunciatl : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 76 CHAPTER XXXIV1. OF THE ANNUNCIATlON OF THE ANGEL TO YNKR (JOACHIM) IN RESPECT OF MARY. THIS Zadok, who was called Ynkr, and Dinah his wife were righteous before God, and were rich in earthly riches and in goods and chattels; but they had neither...
Chapter Xiii.Of The Formation Of Adam : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 15 CHAPTER XIII3. OF THE FORMATION OF ADAM. ON the Friday, after the making of all created things, God said, 'Come, let us make man in our image and in our likeness4.' The Jews have interpreted the expression 'Come, let us make,' as referring...
Chapter Vii.Of Effused Light : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 12 CHAPTER VII2. OF EFFUSED (CIRCUMAMBIENT) LIGHT. WHEN the holy angels were created on the evening of the first day, without voice, they understood not their creation, but thought within themselves that they were self-existent beings and not made...
Chapter Xxxv.Of The Annunciation : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 78 CHAPTER XXXV1. OF THE ANNUNCIATION BY GABRIEL TO MARY OF THE CONCEPTION OF OUR LORD. AT the ninth hour of the first day of the week, on the twenty-fifth of the month of Adar,--though some say on the first day of the month of Nisan, which is...
Chapter Lix.Of The Happiness Of The Righteous : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 137 CHAPTER LIX1. OF THE HAPPINESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE TORMENT OF SINNERS, AND IN WHAT STATE THEY ARE THERE. IT is right for us to know and explain how those suffer, who suffer in Gehenna. If they do suffer, how can we say that they are...
Chapter Xvi.Of The Sin Of Adam : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 21 CHAPTER XVI4. OF THE SIN OF ADAM5. WHEN God in His goodness had made Adam, He laid down a law for him, and commanded him not to eat of the tree of good and evil, which is the fig-tree. After Eve was created, Adam told her the story of the tree;...
Chapter Xxi.Of Melchizedek : Sacred-Texts Christianity Index Previous Next p. 33 CHAPTER XXI3. OF MELCHIZEDEK4. NEITHER the father nor mother of this Melchizedek were written down in the genealogies; not that he had no natural parents5, but that p. 34 they were not written down. The greater number of the doctors say that he...
