Esther Eshel
III. Conclusions
This paper traces some literary-conceptual parallels between three ancient
Jewish compositions. Although these parallels do not provide conclusive ev
idence that both ALD and the Genesis Apocryphon are older than Jubilees, I
argue that the weight of the evidence shows that Jubilees was at least familiar
with the traditions in these works, and probably with these works them
selves. I base this conclusion on various literary and topical parallels be
tween these sources, both where I was able to show scribal mistakes whose
original readings were found in either ALD or the Genesis Apocryphon, and
ideological alterations made by Jubilees in line with its worldview. These
ideological changes appear in the cultic instructions delivered to Levi by
Isaac, which Jubilees shifts to Abraham delivering to Isaac, as well as in the
story of Noah — in both the division of the world to his sons and in the
mapa mundi. I also postulated that Jubilees' reference to Noah's righteous
ness may have been grounded in the two-ways imagery of other works, of
the Genesis Apocryphon in particular.
In the discussion of the world map I argued that the Genesis
Apocryphon preserves the oldest map, and that Jubilees documents its later
usage. I reached the same conclusions regarding Jubilees' use of the two-
ways imagery. Integral to the Genesis Apocryphon's depiction of Noah is his
walking in the right way, and divine guidance keeping him away from the
wrong path. Jubilees reflects a short reference, both linguistic and concep
tual, to this portrayal. This reference to the two-ways imagery in connection
with Noah suggests that the author of Jubilees was familiar with Noah's bi
ography as depicted by the Genesis Apocryphon.