Omission, Created Ambiguity, and Chronology in the Book of Jubilees

Omission is a common strategy in ancient texts that rework biblical narratives and the author of the Book of Jubilees frequently employs the strategy. Particularly striking is the omission of chronological material, for the dating of events is a primary feature of Jubilees. This essay examines two cases in which Jubilees omits biblical chronological data. One involves the age of Noah; the other the ten years that Abram is living in the land. In each instance ambiguity within the Jubilees-created chronology accompanies the omission. In the matter of the age of Noah the created ambiguity responds to incongruities in the biblical text and supports a reworked chronology. By contrast, in the matter of the ten years the created ambiguity responds to postbiblical interpretation of the biblical text.