Jubilees, Bethel and the Temple of Jacob
A comparison of the biblical selection dealing with Jacob's "return to Bethel" (Genesis 35:1—16) and the parallel description in the Book of Jubilees (Jubilees 31:32) reveals many additions and changes in Jubilees. Particularly interesting is Jacob's attempt to build a Temple at...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
HUC
1986
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| In: |
Hebrew Union College annual
Year: 1985, Volume: 56, Pages: 63-85 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
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| Summary: | A comparison of the biblical selection dealing with Jacob's "return to Bethel" (Genesis 35:1—16) and the parallel description in the Book of Jubilees (Jubilees 31:32) reveals many additions and changes in Jubilees. Particularly interesting is Jacob's attempt to build a Temple at Bethel and the divine command to desist from that attempt. Jacob's initial actions certainly would have seemed strange to the readers of Jubilees, undoubtedly familiar with the unfavorable cultic history of Bethel. It is our contention that Jacob's second sojourn in Bethel, as described in Jubilees, reflects contemporary events. Basically accepting VanderKam's dating scheme for Jubilees, we can date the events described in Jubilees 31—32 to the period of the battle campaigns of Judas Maccabeus and in particular to the time immediately after the second campaigns of Beth Zur and Beth Zechariah (162 b.c.e.) when Judas was forced to retreat to the mountains of Gophna. Jerusalem no longer being accessible, the inhabitants of Bethel sought to reclaim their ancient cultic primacy, but were unsuccessful. This attempt would be consistent with a degree of cultic tension existing during the Second Temple period regarding the unique status of Jerusalem. Additional Bethel sources in the Pseudepigrapha, Dead Sea Sect literature and Rabbinic traditions may also reflect this undercurrent of cultic tension and perhaps even the attempt of Bethel to regain cultic primacy. |
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| Contains: | Enthalten in: Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Hebrew Union College annual
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