Eschatological Impulses in JubileesJ. VanderKam, retrojects from the Ge'ez version a Hebrew word, citing as a good parallel for
his decision a similar text in l Kings 8:48: "if they repent (IMP!) with all their heart and soul
in the land of their enemies.. ." (NRSV).
- K. Baltzer, The Covenant Formulary in Old Testament, Jewish, and Early Christian
Writings, trans. D. Green (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1971). In several places, dealing with Jewish
texts, especially lQS, Jubilees, CD (Damascus Document), and Testaments in Jubilees and
Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, the author notes a transformation of the blessings and
curses with a fairly specific "eschatology" in the text of the blessings (104-105,107, Manual of
Discipline; 117, Damascus Document; 153-155, Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs). He does
not discuss Jub 1 or 23.
Repentance and return to God have followed upon sin and punishment,
and God seems ever patient with those who have searched for him "with all
their minds and with all their souls" and promises to "disclose to them
abundant peace" in response.
Saving Acts of God (1:16-18)The next step speaks of God transforming them into a "plant of righteous
ness," reminding the biblical reader of Jer 32:41 and Ps 80:9. The language for
effecting this change might catch readers unawares, when God proclaims
that he will act "with all my mind and all my soul" (v. 16a); here the divinity
appropriates language usually associated with the people's response to God,
e.g., Deut 6:5 (the Shem'a Yisrael). As a result, this people shall be "a blessing,
not a curse" (v. 16b), echoing God's words to Judah and Israel in Zech 8:13.
The shift from curse to blessing may be understood as an older covenant for
mulary that has undergone transformation in some second temple texts. In
his study of the covenant, Klaus Baltzer suggests that the curses (seen in the
historical past, or even the present of the people) are balanced by blessings
that seem characterized by an eschatological language and tone.^20 Spe
cifically, God will gather them from among the Gentiles back to their land
(v. 15b), will transform them into a "righteous plant" (v. 16), will (re)build
the temple among them and live with them (v. 17) and become their God,
and they will become God's "true and righteous people." God will never
again alienate or abandon them, for "I am the Lord their God" (v. 18). Most
significant for an eschatological vision is the end of God's speech in v. 15: "I
will rightly disclose to them abundant peace!'