Scribal Practices and Approaches Reflected in the Texts Found in the Judean Desert (Studies on the Texts of the Desert of Judah) 9004140018, 9789004140011

Table of contents :
Scribal Practices and Approaches Reflected in the Texts Found in the Judean Desert
Dedication
CONTENTS
Text Editions
Periodicals, Reference Works, and Series
References and Sundry Abbreviations
Diacritical Symbols
List of Tables
Preface
Chapter 1: Introduction
a. Purpose and Nature of the Description
b. Sources
c. Background of the Documents
Chapter 2: Scribes
a. Identity, Nature, and Status
b. Learning Scribal Skills
c. Production of Scrolls in the Judean Desert?
d. Characteristic Features of Individual Scribes
e. Identification of Scribal Hands
f. Background of Scribal Traditions
g. Approaches of Scribes to Their Vorlagen
h. Autographs?
i. Identification of the Vorlagen of Qumran Texts?
Chapter 3: Writing and Writing Materials
a. Papyrus
b. Leather
c. Sheets
d. Scrolls
e. Texts Written on Papyrus
f. Ink
g. Writing Implements
Chapter 4: Technical Aspects of Scroll Writing
a. Ruling, Guide Dots/Strokes
b. Opisthographs and Palimpsests
c. Length and Contents of Scrolls
d. Dimensions of Sheets
e. Writing Blocks, Columns, and Margins
f. The Written Text vis-a-vis Horizontal and Vertical Ruling
g. Conventions Used at the Beginnings and Ends of Scrolls
h. Titles of Compositions and Headers of Sections
i. Uneven Surface, Damage, Repair Stitching, and Patching
j. De Luxe Editions
Chapter 5: Writing Practices
a. Divisions between Words, Small Sense Units (Stichs and Verses), Sections, Poetical Units, and Books
(1) Word Division
(2) Indication of Small Sense Units (Stichs and Verses) in Biblical Manuscripts
(3) Division between Large Sense Units (Sections)
(4) Division between Poetical Units (Psalms)
(5) Division between Books in Biblical Manuscripts
b. Special Layout and Superscriptions
c. Scribal Marks and Procedures
(1) Section Markers, Almost Exclusively in the Margin, and Other Scribal Systems Pertaining to the Division of the Text into Sections
(2) Marks Pertaining to Scribal Intervention, Mainly for the Correction of Errors
(3) Single Letters in the Cryptic A Script, Mainly Written in the Margin
(4) Single Paleo-Hebrew Letters Written in the Margin
(5) Marks, Including Unexplained Signs, Drawing Attention to Matters in the Text
(6) Marks Written at the Ends of Lines as Line-fillers
(7) Separation Dots between Words
(8) Letters and Marks Possibly Numbering Sheets and Units
(9) Signs for Numerals
(10) Appendix: Paratextual Elements in Medieval Masoretic Manuscripts
d. Special Writing of Divine Names
e. Errors
f. Correction Procedures and the Degree of Scribal Intervention
g. Final and Nonfinal Letters
h. Notation of Variant Readings and Glosses?
i. Abbreviations
Chapter 6: Scripts
a. Square (Jewish) Script
b. Writing in the Paleo-Hebrew Script and Its Background
(1) Individual Paleo-Hebrew Letters Used as Scribal Markings in the Margins of Texts Written in Square Characters
(2) Divine Names in Paleo-Hebrew Characters in Texts Written in Square Characters
(3) Texts Written Completely in Paleo-Hebrew Characters
Chapter 7: Special Scribal Characteristics of Some Groups of Texts
a. Biblical Texts
b. Texts Written in the Paleo-Hebrew Script
c. Tefillin and Mezuzot
d. Texts Written on Papyrus
e. Texts Written in Greek
f. Pesharim
g. Texts Written in Cryptic Scripts
Chapter 8: Scribal Traditions
a. Common Scribal Practices
(1) Scrolls Written in the Paleo-Hebrew Script
(2) The Qumran Scribal Practice
(3) A Possible Scribal School Reflected in the Proto-Masoretic Manuscripts
b. Continuation of Scribal Traditions in Documents Inscribed in the Square Script
c. Possible Influence from Greek Scribal Practices
d. Scribal Practices Mentioned in Rabbinic Sources
Appendix 1: Characteristic Features of the Qumran Scribal Practice
Appendix 2: Papyrus Texts from the Judean Dese
Appendix 3: Opisthographs from the Judean Desert
Appendix 4: The Greek Texts from the Judean Desert
Appendix 5: Scribal Features of Early Witnesses of Greek Scripture
Appendix 6: The Hebrew Texts from Masada
Appendix 7: Scope and Spacing of the Units in the Biblical Text Quoted in the Pesharim
Appendix 8: Scribal Features of Biblical Manuscripts
Appendix 9: Orthographic and Morphological Features of Texts Written in the Qumran Scribal Practice
Bibliography
Figures
Index I: Ancient Sources
Index II: Subjects
Illustrations