The Book of Jubilees is a book that some subscribe to today. I do find it may have some historical value similar to the apocrypha books that were part of the original KJV though they were not counted as part of the canonized books or validated Word of God.
The first problem I have with the book of Jubilees is part of its text in
Jubilees Chapter 3 is inconsistent with Genesis chapters 1 and 2.
In the quote from Jubilees Chapter 3 below notice the reference to “second week”.
- And on the six days of the second week we brought, according to the word of God, unto Adam all the beasts…
- In the first week was Adam created, and the rib -his wife: in the second week He showed her unto him: and for this reason the commandment was given to keep in their defilement, for a male seven days, and for a female twice seven days.
- And after Adam had completed forty days in the land where he had been created, we brought him into the garden of Eden to till and keep it, but his wife they brought in on the eightieth day, and after this she entered into the garden of Eden….
Jubilees seems to say that Eve was not created on the sixth day before the first seventh day but was not created until the 13th day. This claim clearly is inconsistent with Genesis 1:26-27 which says God created male and female on the sixth day before the first seventh day so she could not have been created on the 13th day.
I reject the two creation narrative that some claims Genesis 1 and 2 represents. With respect to human creation, Genesis chapter 1 provides an overview of the creation of male and female. Genesis chapter 2 goes into more detail about that same process. It is no different than many books written today. The author may give an overview of a topic in one chapter and then go into greater detail about that topic in a subsequent chapter.
Indeed, Genesis 1 and 2 is the same creation event. Both Adam and Eve was created in the garden on the sixth day before the first seventh day.
The Bible clearly says in multiple places that in six days God created heaven and earth . Even the giving of the Sabbath part of the Ten Commandments references six days.
The Jubilee account of creation of Adam and Eve is one main reason I do not consider the Book of Jubilees to be the Word of God. It may contain some truths about the beliefs of a certain group of people at a particular point in time. I see it as no different than books folks write today. If their content lines up with the Bible well and good. If not, reject that part that does not line up. And always use some good old fashion common sense.
The second reason I find the Book of Jubilees problematic is its claim in Jubilees Chapter 50:8. There it indicates that if a man has sex with his wife on the Sabbath then that man (and presumably his wife also) is to be put to death.
For Jubilees 50:8 says:
“And the man that does any work on it shall die: whoever desecrates that day, whoever lies with (his) wife, or whoever says he will do something on it, that he will set out on a journey thereon in regard to any buying or selling: and whoever draws water thereon which he had not prepared for himself on the sixth day, and whoever takes up any burden to carry it out of his tent or out of his house shall die.”
Not having sex on the Sabbath does not seem to be common sense to me. The Sabbath is at least partly about rest from the toils of life. How is having a good time with your wife work? If it is stressful to have sex with one’s spouse, then one has bigger problems in life.
