The Decline of Human Longevity in the Book of Jubilees

Full title
The Decline of Human Longevity in the Book of Jubilees
Research notes

Reader Checked|OA 12/11/2012

Reference type
Author(s)
DeJong, David N.
Year
2012
Journal / Book Title || Series Title
Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha
Volume
21
Number of volumes
0
Issue / Series Volume
4
Pages
340-365
Label
13/08/2012
Abstract

This article examines the decline in human longevity in the book of Jubilees, arguing that this motif's importance has been somewhat underappreciated by scholars. It examines three varied genres in Jubilees—death notices, an apocalypse, and an extended narrative—and demonstrates that an emphasis on declining human longevity thematically unifies these diverse additions to the stories of Genesis on which they are based. The decline in lifespan is connected both with the book's chronological system and its concern with covenantal obedience, specifically with respect to the commandment to honor one's parents.

Primary Texts: Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha
Composition / Author
Passage
23