nora
(Nora)
#1
John C. Endres, S.J.
Sabbaths, holy things, tabernacle, and temple (v. 10). They will follow some
horrendous practices: constructing "high places" and "(sacred) groves," us
ing "carved images" for their worship, and — most shocking of all — offer
ing in sacrifice their own children.^17 The language for sinful ways employed
here recalls similar charges against Israel in Deuteronomic language (Deut
31:20-21 and 2 Kings 17:15), a fact that corresponds with the Deuteronomic
theology of history: sin, oppression, outcry to God/repentance, God's saving
activity.
Punishment/Suffering (122-14)
God tries to move Israel toward repentance by telling Moses what will hap
pen in the future (w. 12-18). God will send them witnesses, but Israel will not
listen to them; rather they will slay them and persecute those who diligently
study the Torah (v. 12). The people will attempt to change and overturn ev
erything, thus working evil "in my presence" (v. 12); it is a pattern well
known from prophetic texts and the Chronicler (e.g., Jer 25:4; 2 Chron
24:19). Then God will remove his presence from them, handing them over to
their enemies, "for captivity, for booty, and for being devoured" (v. 13), even
for dispersal among the nations. After all this, even then this people will for
get all of God's law, commandments, judgments; rather they will err regard
ing "the beginning of the month, the sabbath, the festival, the jubilee" (mat
ters of the Jubilees' calendar, so important to this author), and also the
"decree" (v. i 4 ).^18
Repentance (1:15)
Then the Israelites will turn to God: "After this they will return to me from
among the nations with all their minds, all their souls, and all their
strength" (1:15 Ethiopic). This pattern of repeated turning to God (3W,
shuv) is clear, and the author uses familiar Deuteronomic language (the
people search, and are found) to express this pattern of repentance (v. 15).^19
17. Recall the condemnation of King Ahaz for such crimes: 2 Chron 28:3 ("made his
sons pass through fire"); here they will offer them to "demons" and to other products of
their own imagination and creativity.
18. Cf. Scott, On Earth, 86-87, f°r this assessment.
19. This section of Jubilees exists in the Qumran 4Q216, II (1. 17). The editor,
