Michael E. Stone Knihy

This volume takes as its starting point the internationally important collection of Armenian illuminated manuscripts in the collection of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin. The authors have selected over 20 of the rarest and most beautiful manuscripts to tell the history of the Armenian people, their art and literature.

Focusing on themes of heaven, hell, angels, and demons, this collection presents Armenian apocryphal texts alongside introductions, translations, and annotations. It serves as a vital resource for students and scholars interested in apocryphal and pseudepigraphical literature, offering critical insights into biblical figures from the Hebrew Bible and related texts.

Newly uncovered Armenian manuscripts shed light on biblical themes and figures, including Joseph, Jonah, Nathan the Prophet, and Asaph the Psalmist. Michael Stone presents a unique collection of previously unpublished texts that illuminate the interpretation of the Bible during medieval times. These documents not only reflect the biblical narrative but also reveal how the Armenian spiritual tradition influenced its storytelling. Each text is accompanied by scholarly editions, translations, notes, and introductions, enhancing the reader's understanding of this rich cultural context.

Rich in biblical lore, this collection features tales of heroes like Adam, Noah, and Abraham, translated from medieval Armenian manuscripts by Michael E. Stone. The stories highlight how ancient traditions from the Second Temple period were adapted by Armenian authors, showcasing a unique blend of piety and creativity. Stone's work reveals the depth of Armenian literary heritage and its evolution through time, reflecting the cultural and spiritual richness of the Armenian tradition.

The book offers a comprehensive collection of Armenian interpretations of Genesis 13 narratives, spanning twelve centuries. It features a diverse array of texts, including prose, poetry, homilies, commentaries, and even calendary and mathematical writings. This unique anthology highlights the evolution of Adam and Eve stories from the fifth to the seventeenth century, showcasing the rich literary and cultural heritage of Armenian literature.

The volume presents a collection of stories about Abraham from fifteen unpublished late medieval Armenian manuscripts, now translated into English. These narratives explore various aspects of Abraham's life, including his youth, experiences in Egypt, the binding of Isaac, and interactions with Melchizedek. By incorporating elements from Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and other ancient traditions, the texts reveal a rich tapestry of mutual influence and borrowing across cultures over centuries, accompanied by commentaries and critical analysis.

The narrative details Michael E. Stone's expeditions to the Sinai peninsula in the late 1970s to 1982, where he sought ancient inscriptions and Armenian pilgrimage routes. His journey culminated in the discovery of the oldest known Armenian inscriptions. Beyond this significant find, the book offers a rich exploration of the Sinai's diverse history, its inhabitants, and the region's flora and fauna, providing a comprehensive view of this historically and culturally rich area.

This volume explores the use and interpretation of the Bible in the Dead Sea Scrolls and associated apocryphal, early Christian and rabbinic literature.Interpretive interests, techniques and traditions are examined in many types of ancient rewritten bibles, pseudepigrapha, legal codes, prayers, sapiential texts, admonitions and historical treatises.The authors highlight the contribution of the new finds from the Judean Desert to such major issues as attitudes to the Bible and the Law in antiquity, continuity and innovation vis a vis the biblical world, common and unique dimensions of interpretation among different groups in the Second Temple and Rabbinic periods in particular, the Qumran sectarians and their opponents, New Testament authors and rabbinic Sages.