Episode 92: Biblical Chronology: Josephus and Jubilees

[@wendyray6120]

I appreciate the research and presentation. Thank you. Looking forward to future presentations.

[@petramitchell7162]

This was a great episode! Thank you so much

[@LetsTalkCreation]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@otange599]

Thanks. Keep it up.

[@bramvandenheuvel4049]

I've done some research on the ante-diluvian king lists from Sumeria. There are variations in the amount, the spelling, and the ordering of names and which cities they were associated with, but the most variable aspects, if you compare them side-by-side, is the duration of their rule(s). Yet, they are all multiples of 600 and all within the same order of magnitude (tens of thousands of years per king and hundreds of thousands for the ante-diluvian epoch). Let me know if you want me to send you some of my reserach notes.

[@blain20_]

Kenan sinned (according only to Jubilees) and was likely blotted out of the textual tradition of one group (such as Zadokites or Pharisees, e.g.) of people but not the others. If the NT didn't mention him, I would assume he had never existed.

[@johnathonbuis1555]

In terms of Josephus. Did you look into account his total years? I have seen some translations that have the LXX numbers for individuals, but the total numbers given for all in the genealogy match the total years of the Masoretic. I'm unsure of which Josephus manuscript tradition the translation was from, which is another confusing issue.

[@blain20_]

The English translator of one translation said Josephus used the long numbers and questioned it. Any inconsistencies likely came in over time since his time to ours.

[@blain20_]

Josephus wrote in Hebrew and then worked with a Roman servant to translate his work into Greek.

[@markrademaker5875]

Sounds like Dr. Wood is saying Jubilees has the 130 Seth number therefore the God-Breathed Genesis original had the 130 number. Maybe the author of Jubilees had a bad motive and though the original Hebrew Genesis had 230, the Jubilees author changed it to 130. Kinda sounds like the Jubilees author tried to fit everything into a 49/50 year paradigm rather than letting the Text speak for itself. Feedback appreciated. 1 John 4:10,11

[@zambonify]

I'm wondering if the author of Jubilees fabricated his chronology and it became popular, which gave the author of Seder Olam Rabbah the inspiration to fabricate a similar chronology that ended up in the MT.

[@markrademaker5875]

​@@zambonifySounds like you may know more than i. I have been reading some of Henry Smith Jr.'s material and i am leaning towards the LXX numbers based on his analysis. Give him a read; i think you will find it very helpful. Here's the title of one of his articles, "MT, SP or LXX? Deciphering a Chronological and Textual Conundrum in Genesis 5" 1 Thessalonians 5:21