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The Division of the Earth in Genesis Apocryphon 16–17 A

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The Division of the Earth in Genesis Apocryphon 16–17 A SECTION TWO THE DIVISION OF THE EARTH IN GENESIS APOCRYPHON 16–17 A CASE STUDY ON ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE BOOK OF JUBILEES CHAPTER THREE THE BACKGROUND OF GENESIS APOCRYPHON 16–17 The primarily textual work of the preceding sec- receives a curse (Gen 9:18–28), and the confusion of tion is aimed at providing a more solid foundation tongues and dispersion of peoples at the Tower of for future textual, linguistic, and exegetical analysis Babel (Gen 11:1–9). It is essentially a genealogy, but of the Genesis Apocryphon. While it is impossible has been inconsistently supplemented with geographic, to comment adequately on all parts and aspects of folkloric, and etiological information.2 The following the Apocryphon here, the remainder of this study is tables attempt to present succinctly the information dedicated to one area where new textual discoveries in Gen 10: may enhance our understanding of the scroll’s contents and theological outlook—the apportionment of the Table 1. Genealogical Information earth among Noah’s sons and grandsons in 1QapGen 16–17. These columns were chosen for several reasons: Japheth (10:2–5) Ham (10:6–20) Shem (10:21–31) 1) they include a number of substantial advancements Gomer Cush Elam in reading the scroll; 2) they represent our most direct Ashkenaz Seba Asshur parallel with the Book of Jubilees, whose precise Riphath Havilah Arpachshad relationship to the Apocryphon remains unclear; and Togarmah Sabtah Shelah Magog Raamah Eber 3) they attest to a broad, thematic concern in the Madai Sheba Peleg scroll, as will be demonstrated below. The thesis of Javan Dedan Joktan Section Two is that the Genesis Apocryphon preserves Elishah Sabteca Almodad a simpler, shorter account of the earth’s division than Tarshish Nimrod Sheleph Jubilees, and that the two texts are more likely based on Kittim Egypt (Mitzraim) Hazarmaveth R/Dodanim Ludim Jerah a common source than directly related. The evidence Tubal Anamim Hadoram suggests that the shared source may well have been or Meshech Lehabim Uzal included an actual map. Tiras Naphtuhim Diklah To avoid unwieldiness, this section has been split Pathrusim Obal into two chapters. The present chapter seeks to con- Casluhim Abimael textualize Chapter 4 within the wider settings of: 1) the (whence Sheba came the Ophir book of Genesis; 2) the ancient Hellenistic map of Philistines) Havilah the inhabited earth (οἰκουμένη in Greek), on which Caphtorim Jobab both the Apocryphon and Jubilees partly depend; and Put Lud 3) the extant narrative of the rest of the Genesis Canaan Aram Apocryphon. Chapter 4 then provides a detailed, Sidon Uz Heth Hul comparative analysis of 1QapGen 16–17 and the Jebusites Gether parallel passage in Jubilees (8:11–9:15). Amorites Mash Girgashites Hivites 3.1. External Background I: Genesis 10 and Arkites Other Biblical Texts Sinites Arvadites Genesis 10, or the so-called “Table of Nations”, Zemarites forms the primary biblical backdrop to the various Hamathites geographic accounts to be discussed in the following chapters.1 In Genesis the Table stands between Noah’s drunken episode, after which his grandson Canaan 2 The traditional source-critical interpretation of this uneven combination is that it reflects the two distinct sources compris- 1 A biblical parallel to Gen 10 is found in 1 Chr 1:1–24. ing the chapter, J and P. The most popular theory is that P has .
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