ticipated the conspiracy of his brothers and willingly traveled to Egypt with
the help of the kings of the Arabs, who were “sons of Abraham and brothers
of Isaac” and, as such, “descendants of Israel” (Eusebius,Praep. Evang.
9.23.1). Whereas the condemnation of forbidden unions can also be found
in Jewish literature written in Hebrew (e.g., inJubilees), Artapanus’s and
Ezekiel’s lenient attitude is peculiar to Jewish literature written in Greek.
Circumcision is an issue closely connected with endogamy and with
the preservation of Jewish identity, but it is not mentioned that often in
Jewish texts written in Greek. Apart from Theodotus’s epic poem, it is re-
ferred to in 2 Maccabees, in the context of the persecution ordered by
Antiochus IV. The author tells us that circumcision was prohibited but
that pious Jews resisted and even died rather than give up circumcising
their children (2:10). 4 Maccabees also reports the fact, without building
upon it except to introduce the story of the martyrs. Philo justifies the
commandment of circumcision at some length at the beginning of the
Special Laws,whereas Josephus refers to it only briefly in his retelling of the
life of Abraham (Ant.1.192) and mentions it again in connection with the
conversion of non-Jews to Judaism (especially inAnt.20.38-48, the story of
the conversion of King Izates).
The dietary laws constitute yet another frequent theme pertaining to
the general issue of the relationships between Jews and non-Jews. In the
Letter of Aristeas,the high priest Eleazar explains the dietary laws in a sym-
bolic way and emphasizes that they are supposed to lead to justice in social
relationships (§§143-69), but he also states that they belong to the purity
laws that are meant to separate the Jews from people who practice idolatry
(§§139, 142). 3 Maccabees tends to equate faithfulness to the Torah with ob-
servance of the dietary rules. Moreover, its author acknowledges that these
laws separate the Jews from their non-Jewish neighbors, and that this so-
cialamixiais perceived as a mark of hostility by those who are themselves
hostile to the Jews. He does not give the commandments up for all that,
but rather affirms that Jews have won for themselves a good reputation in
social intercourse thanks to their righteousness (3:4-7). The issue of the di-
etary laws is found in the most dramatic way in 2 and 4 Maccabees, where
it is linked to the story of the prohibition of Judaism by Antiochus IV. The
old Eleazar, the seven brothers, and their mother are all put to death be-
cause they refuse to eat pork (2 Macc. 6:18–7:42; 4 Maccabees 5–18). Both
Philo and Josephus frequently refer to the Jews’ faithfulness to their ances-
tral laws, including the dietary laws. Philo explains them in a symbolic or
allegorical way (Spec.4.100-118) but also insists on the necessity of putting243Early Jewish Literature Written in GreekEERDMANS -- Early Judaism (Collins and Harlow) final text
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