Jubilees 46:1
Ge'ez text per Charles/VanderKam editions
After his father's death, Joseph continued to live in Egypt. He remained ruler over the land.
REF And Joseph dwelt in Egypt after his father died.
Translator's Introduction
What This Chapter Is About
Joseph grows old and charges his brothers to carry his bones to Canaan. Joseph dies at one hundred and ten. A new king arises who does not know Joseph.
What Makes This Chapter Remarkable
The transition from patriarchal era to oppression. Joseph's bone-request creates a thread resolved at the Exodus (Exodus 13:19).
Translation Friction
Jubilees compresses the timeline between Joseph's death and the oppression.
Connections
Genesis 50:22-26; Exodus 1:8; Exodus 13:19; Joshua 24:32; Hebrews 11:22.
Jubilees 46:2
Ge'ez text per Charles/VanderKam editions
Joseph died at one hundred and ten. He had lived seventeen years in Canaan, ten years in bondage, three in prison, and eighty ruling Egypt.
REF And Joseph died at one hundred and ten years old.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- The breakdown totals 110 years, matching Genesis 50:26.
Jubilees 46:3
Ge'ez text per Charles/VanderKam editions
He died, as did all his brothers and that entire generation.
REF And he died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
Jubilees 46:4
Ge'ez text per Charles/VanderKam editions
Before he died, he commanded the children of Israel to carry his bones with them when they departed from Egypt.
REF And he commanded them to carry his bones when they went forth from Egypt.
Jubilees 46:5
Ge'ez text per Charles/VanderKam editions
He made them take an oath, for he knew the Egyptians would try to prevent it. Makamaron, king of Egypt, tried to mix Joseph's bones with Egyptian bones.
REF And he made them swear, for he knew the Egyptians would try to keep his bones.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- Makamaron is unique to Jubilees — not found in the Bible or Egyptian records.
Jubilees 46:6
Ge'ez text per Charles/VanderKam editions
But they could not find Joseph's bones, for his servants had buried them in a secret location.
REF But they did not find the bones; Joseph's servants had buried them secretly.
Jubilees 46:7
Ge'ez text per Charles/VanderKam editions
Joseph's bones remained in Egypt until the children of Israel departed.
REF And the bones remained in Egypt for many years.
Jubilees 46:8
Ge'ez text per Charles/VanderKam editions
A new king arose over Egypt who had not known Joseph. He devised a cruel plan against the Israelites and subjected them to harsh forced labor.
REF And a new king arose who knew not Joseph.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- This verse marks the transition from the patriarchal era to the Egyptian bondage.
Jubilees 46:9
Ge'ez text per Charles/VanderKam editions
The Lord delivered the children of Israel and brought them out of Egypt, as it is written in the book of the first Torah that Moses wrote.
REF And the Lord delivered Israel, as it is written in the first Torah.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
- 'The book of the first Torah' — Jubilees positions itself as supplementary to the Pentateuch.