Golden Calf loose ends

Update to my post about the sorcerers and their supposed role in building the golden calf.

Dating of the Jannes and Jambres texts

Testament of Solomon is an OT apocrypha written in Greek which Kugel puts in the first century BCE
Timothy was written by Paul, or by one of his disciples which puts it in the first century
Acts of Pilate is NT apocrypha and belongs to the second century.
BT Menachot is from somewhere between 300 and 600 CE, but the quote may be older.
Tanchuma is generally considered 5th century, though the thoughts and stories may be older.
TPJ is hard to date, and is usually placed in the 8th century, though some say its later then Rashi, while Kugel allows it may be much older.

The source that says Jannes and Jambres were Ballam's sons

Servants, actually, and it's TPJ. Oddly enough TPJ calls them יניס וימריס in Numbers where they are identified as Ballam's helpers, but יניס וימברס in Exodus where they are court magicians. I have no idea where this discrepancy originated, and therefore would hesitate before calling it an error (though that seems likely) or trying to guess who's error it might be.

Ok, ad kan on the sorcerers. More on Aaron and the calf later.

If anyone can explain why Rashi neglects to include them in his own account of the golden calf story (which is based 100 percent on the Tanchuma version, a version that does include J & J)  please email or comment.

---

Search for more information about Jannes and Jambres at 4torah.com.