Neglect of Circumcision

In this passage from Jubilees, God tells Moses that in the future the Israelites will neglect the commandment of circumcision and thus provoke the wrath of God. Written after the Hasmonean revolt, this text is an ex post facto prophecy describing the years leading up to the war. See also “Hellenistic Transformation of Jerusalem” and “The Greek Way of Life.”

33I am now telling you that the Israelites will prove false to this ordinance. They will not circumcise their sons in accord with this entire law because they will leave some of the flesh of their circumcision when they circumcise their sons. All the people of Belial1 will leave their sons uncircumcised just as they were born. 34Then there will be great anger from the Lord against the Israelites because they abandoned his covenant, departed from his word, provoked, and blasphemed in that they did not perform the ordinance of this sign. For they have made themselves like the nations so as to be removed and uprooted from the earth. They will no longer have forgiveness or pardon so that they should be pardoned and forgiven for every sin, for [their] violation of this eternal [ordinance].

Translated by James C. VanderKam.
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In this passage from Jubilees, God tells Moses that in the future the Israelites will neglect the commandment of circumcision and thus provoke the wrath of God. Written after the Hasmonean revolt, this text is an ex post facto prophecy describing the years leading up to the war. See also “Hellenistic Transformation of Jerusalem” and “The Greek Way of Life.”

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