Jacob, the Torah, and the Abrahamic Promise: Studies on the Use and Interpretation of the Jacob Story in the Book of Jubilees

The patriarch Jacob functions as the main character in Jubilees, one of the most important early Jewish texts outside the Bible. In this study, Tanskanen investigates two important connections made by the author of Jubilees: Jacob and the Torah, and Jacob and the Abrahamic Promise (Gen 12:1–3 and par.), both of which play an important role in Jubilees but of which the latter has been somewhat neglected in research. Jacob functions as the perfect Israelite who follows the Deuteronomic commandments (addressed to Israel in the second singular) to the utmost, and thus exemplifies the "holy seed" or "rest" of Israel, who will also inherit the Abrahamic Promise, which is understood as fully conditional. Esau functions as an archetype of the apostate Israelite who will be left outside of the Promise and the Covenant.