The Copper Scroll 3QI5: A Reevaluation: A New Reading, Translation, and Commentary (Studies on the Texts of the Desert of Judah, Volume 25) [1 ed.] 9004106855, 9789004106857

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THE COPPER SCROLL - 3Qrs: AREEVALUATION

STUDIES ON THE TEXTS OF THE DESERT OF JUDAH EDITED BY

F GARCiA MARTiNEZ A.S. VANDER WOUDE

VOLUMEXXV

THE COPPER SCROLL 3QI5: AREEVALUATION A New Reading, Translation, and Commentary BY

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

BRILL LEIDEN· BOSTON· KÖLN 2000

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnalune Lefkovits, Judah K.: The copper scroll- 3QI5 : areevaluation: a new reading, translation, and commentary / by Judah K. Lefkovits. - Leiden; Boston; Köln: Brill, 1999 (Studies on the texts orthe desert of'Judah ; Val. 25) ISBN 90-04-10685-5

Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is also available

ISSN 0169-9962 ISBN 90 04 10685 5

© Copyright 2000 by Koninklijke BrillNV, Leiden, The Netherlands All n'ghts reserved. No part qf this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval ~stem, or transmitted in any form or by a/!)' means, electronic, mechanical, photocopyiTlg, recording or othemlise, without prior written permission fiom the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Brill provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Dn've, Suite 910 Danvers MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS

;'''::1

This book is respectfully dedicated to my late father MIKSA LEFKOVITS ;'''y c"n "N~ ,";',~ P ':J"~ ;''''~ ",~ '::IN my late mother KATO LEFKOVITS nee KAUFMANN ;'''y ;"';" ,";',~ 11::1 "Nl 111~ '111'~ '~N who risked their lives to save others during the Holocaust, my late uncle ROBERT LEFKOVITS ;'''y c"n "N~ ,";',~ P ::I" P'N' ;''''~ who helped save oUf lives during the war, my late aunt BELLA BERNSTEIN nee KAUFMANN ;'''y ;"';" ,";',~ 11::1 ;':J,:l 111~ who was like a mother to us, our deceased relatives SAMUEL REICHMANN and his wife RENI'.E nee GESTETNER ;'''y C;"::IN ,";',~ 11:l ;'P::I, 111~' ;'''y ", ;''''~ P ';"Y~1l7 ;''''~ and their talented daughter EV A MEDI HELLER - GUTWIRTH ;'''y ';"Y~1l7 11::1 'P)'!l 111~ who helped save our lives and that of many others du ring the war, my late revered teacher and mentor RABBI BERNAT MOSKOVITS (RAPPAPORT) '''~T 1;':J;' " , ''';''~ P '::I~ 1"::1 ::I,;' ''''~'N Dean of the Yeshivah Benei David and Chief Rabbi of Paks, Hungary, who risked his life to teach Torah du ring the dark age of Communism, then held rabbinical positions in Budapest, Vienna, and Brooklyn, and who authored more than two dozen volumes in Rabbinics, and his wife JOLAN nee KRAUS ;'''y ::INT ,";',~ 11::1 't''' 11')::1';' ';' '::1

'~

') '11

As a survivor of the Holocaust, I feel especially obligated to also dedicate this book to the memory of the six million lews who perished du ring World War 11, which included hundreds of members of my immediate family. c~,

C'P)' CIl7;'

CONTENTS Acknowledgments ..................................................................... xi Abbreviations ......................................................................... xiii Rabbinic Sources.. ...... ............. ..................... ............. ......... ...... xvii I.

11.

INTRODUCTION Official Release Discovery of the Copper RoUs ................................................ . Initial Discovery Reports ........................................................ The Unopened RoUs .............................................................. Opening the RoUs ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Major Publications on the Copper ScroU ..................................... The Present State of the Copper ScroU ........................................ The Text and Its Problems . ..................... .............. ............. .... The Language of the Copper ScroU .......................................... Approach Used in this Study .................................................. Vocalization ....................................................................... Format of the Commentary .....................................................

2 4 5 7 14 15 18 19 24 26

TEXT AND COMMENT ARY Item 1 Lines: 1:1 - 1:4 ................................................ 29 Item 2 Lines: 1:5 - 1 :6a .............................................. 50 Item 3 Lines: 1:6b - 1:8 .............................................. 64 Item 4 Lines: 1:9 - I: 12 .............................................. 73 Item 5 Lines: 1: 13 - I: 15 ............................................. 90 Item 6 Lines: 2: I - 2:2 .............................................. 103 Item 7 Lines: 2:3 - 2:4 .............................................. 106 Item 8 Lines: 2:5 - 2:6 .............................................. 118 Lines: 2:7 - 2:9 .............................................. 126 Item 9 Item 10 Lines: 2:10 - 2:12 ........................................... 130 Item 11 Lines: 2:13 - 2:15 ........................................... 135 Lines: 3:1 - 3:7 .............................................. 138 Item 12 Item 13 Lines: 3:8 - 3:10 ............................................ 143 Item 14 Lines: 3: 11 - 3:13 ........................................... 148 Item 15 Lines: 4:1 - 4:2 .............................................. 154 Item 16 Lines: 4:3 - 4:5 .............................................. 157 Lines: 4:6 - 4:8 .............................................. 162 Item 17 Item 18 Lines: 4:9 - 4:10 ............................................ 169 Item 19 Lines: 4: II - 4:12 ........................................... 179 Item 20 Lines: 4:13 - 4:14 ........................................... 181 Item 21 Lines: 5:1 - 5:4 .............................................. 185 Item 22 Lines: 5:5 - 5:7 .............................................. 190 Lines: 5:8 - 5: II ............................................ 193 Item 23 Item 24 Lines: 5:12 - 5:14 ........................................... 199 Item 25 Lines: 6:1 - 6:6 .............................................. 204

viii

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

6:7-6:10 ............................................ 6:11 - 6:13 ........................................... 6:14 -7:2 ............................................ 7:3 - 7:7 .... ........ ..... .......... .... ..... .......... 7:8 -7:10 ............................................ 7:11 -7:13 ........................................... 7:14 - 7:16 ........................................... 8:1 - 8:3 .............................................. 8:4 - 8:7 ..................... ........... .............. 8:8 - 8:9 ................... ............ ...... ......... 8:10-8:13 ........................................... 8:14-8:16 ........................................... 9:1 - 9:3 .............................................. 9:4 - 9:6 .. ................. ............ ............... 9:7 - 9:9 .... .............. ............. ...... ......... 9:10 ................................................... 9:11 - 9:13 ........................................... 9:14-9:16 ........................................... 9:17 - 10:2 ........................................... 10:3 - 10:4 ........................................... 10:5 - 10:7 ........................................... 10: 8 - 10: 11 ......................................... 10:12 - 10:14 ........................................ 10:15 - 10:16 ........................................ 10: 17 - 11: 1 ......................................... 11:2 - 11:4 ........................................... 11:5 - 11:7 ........................................... 11:8 ........... ................. ................ ....... 11: 9 - 11: 11 ......................................... 11 : 12 - 11: 15 ........................................ 11:16-12:3 ......................................... 12:4-12:5 ........................................... 12:6 - 12:7 ........................................... 12:8 - 12:9 ........................................... 12:10 - 12:13 ........................................

209 213 216 220 225 232 236 245 253 259 263 268 273 284 288 293 297 305 317 323 331 335 348 352 358 363 369 381 384 392 399 409 413 418 425

DISCUSSION The Copper Seroll and the Dead Sea Serolls ............................. Retleetion on the Opening of the Se roll ................................... The Drawings ................................................................... Copper Seroll Hebrew ....... ............. ........ ........ ..... ...... ......... Uniqueness and Charaeteristie of the Doeument ......................... Historieity of the Copper Seroll ............................................. Authentieity of the Copper Seroll ........................................... The Hidden Treasure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Why Copper Not Parehment? ................................................ ijarevahmaruvah and the Valley of Aehor ... ........... ....... ...... .... Summary ......................................................................... Conclusion .......................................................................

443 445 447 451 453 455 459 460 462 465 468 470

Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item III.

26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Line: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Line: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines: Lines:

COPPER SCROLL - CONTENTS

IV.

APPENDICES Appendix A - The Abbreviation :l:l Versus l',:l:l Introduction ..... .............. ...... ........ ..... .... ........... ..... ....... Scribal Corrections Regarding l":l:l .................................. A Suggested New Meaning for:l:l ...... ... ............. ............... The Abbreviation:l ... .......................... ............. ............. The Possible reading ofT":l:l ........................................... Other Possible Interpretations for:l:l .................................. Conclusion .................................................................. Appendix B - Numerals, Numbers, and Contracted Teens Introduction ................................................................. Numerals and Numbers .................................................. Compound Numbers ...................................................... Teens ......................................................................... Reconstruction of the Hebrew Contracted Teens .................... Word Order Regarding Numbers and Numerals .................... Conclusion .................................................................. Appendix C - The Mysterious Greek Letters Introduction ................................................................. Suggestions by the Scholars ............................................. 3Q15 Versus 4Q186 ...................................................... Numerical Values of the Greek Letters ....... .............. .......... Are the Greek Letters Part of the Document? ....................... Suggested Interpretations ................................................ Conclusion .................................................................. Appendix D - The Term y~, '?:l Introduction ................................................................. The Term '?:l .............................................................. The Scholars Interpretations of y~, ('?:l) ............................ The Meaning of y~, ...................................................... Other References Regarding y~, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Relevant References to y~, '?:l ........................................ y~, Versus y~~ ........................................................... y~, '?:l in Item 4 .......................................................... y~, '?:l in Items 12 and 58 .............................................. 317.)' '?:l in Item 13 ........................................................ 317.)' '?:l in Items 22 and 50 .............................................. 317.)' '?:l in Item 33 ........................................................ 317.)' '?:l in Items 51, 54, and 55 ......... ............... ............ .... Conclusion .................................................................. Appendix E - The Phrase l\~?ll-C pn:l\pn:l Introduction ................................................................. Readings of the Scholars ................................................. Possible Solutions ......................................................... Conclusion ..................................................................

ix

471 473 481 482 483 485 488 489 489 490 491 494 495 497 498 499 501 502 503 503 504 505 505 506 508 515 516 518 518 525 530 532 532 532 544 546 546 548 553

V.

BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................... 555

VI.

WORD INDEX OF THE COPPER SCROLL ................................ 587

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This book is a oomprehensive revision of my dissertation entitled The Copper Seroll - 3Q15, A New Reading, Translation and Commentary, submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Literatures, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, New York University, in September 1993. I wish to express my gratitude to Prof. Lawrence H. Schiffman (New York University), who suggested the thesis topic, served as my mentor, and facilitated publication of this work; to Prof. Frank Peters (New York University), who accepted me as a student in the department, was helpful in securing new photographs of the Copper Scroll from the Museum of Amman, Jordan, and advised me organizing the dissertation; to Prof. Baruch A. Levine (New York University), with whom I took most of my graduate courses; to Prof. Cyrus H. Gordon (New York University), who enthusiastically supported the initiation of this project; to the late Prof. Jonas C. Greenfield (Hebrew University), for his advice at the early stage of this study, and finally to my brother-in-law, Prof. Saul Wischnitzer (Long Island University), who enoouraged me, offered many valuable suggestions, and helped edit this work. In addition, I want to acknowledge Mr. Magen Broshi (Shrine of the Book, Jerusalern) and the late Pierre P. Benoit (Eoole Biblique et Archeologique Franc;:aise, Jerusalern), for facilitating my securing photographs of the Copper Scroll from the negatives of those published in Milik's work, located at the RockefeIler Museum in Jerusalern; Prof. Bruce Zuckerman (University of Southern California) and Prof. James H. Charlesworth (Princeton Theological Seminary), who allowed me to study some of their magnificent photographs of the Copper Scroll taken at the Museum of Amman; Prof. George J. Brooke (University of Manchester), for his invitation to participate in the International Symposium on the Copper Seroll at the University of Manchester, September 8-10, 1996, and for introducing me to Mrs. Joan R. Allegro, the widow of John Maroo Allegro, who kindly sent me copies of unpublished material by her husband, written immediately after thc opening of the Copper Scroll in 1956-57, which has been largely incorporated in this work; for Prof. Florentino Garcia Martinez (Rijks-universiteit Groningen), for important publishing advice, and accepting my manuscript in the series Studies on the Texts 0/ the Desert 0/ Judah under his editorship. I am also grateful to Ms. Mattie Kuiper, Desk Editor for Religious Studies, E.J. BrilI, for her cooperation du ring the extended time needed to prepare this work. Preparation of this study was supported in part by a predoctoral grant from the Abraham Kittay Fellowship at New York University, and pre- and postdoctoral grants from the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture.

ABBREVIATIONS A ABD AC ACC Allegro Allegrodr or Adr Allegropr Allegro rev Allegrorpr alt. ANET ANYAS "Apocalyptic" Archive ASOR b. BA BA Bakerd r or Bdr BAR bar or ben BASOR BDB Bendavid Beth Shecarim 1 Beth Shecarim 2 Beth Shecarim 3 Beyer BH BibI. BJRL

BTA BY

BZ Cowley CS CIL

Aramaic Anchor Bible Dictionary Kohut: Aruch Completum Krauss: Addimenta Aruch Completum The Treasury o/the Copper Seroll (first ed.) Allegro's drawing of the Copper Seroll The original part of" Allegro's Provisional Translation and Notes on the Copper SerolI" (MS) The Treasury o/the Copper Seroll (rev. ed.) Revision within "Allegro's Provisional Translation and Notes on the Copper SerolI" (MS) alternate reading Pritchard: Ancient Near Eastem Texts Annals 0/ the New York Academy 0/ Sciences Wolters: "Apocalyptic and the Copper SerolI" Kutscher - Kaddari: Archive o/the New Dictionary ... The American Schools o/Oriental Research Babylonian Talmud (followed by the Tractate) Biblical Aramaic Biblical Archaeologist Baker's drawing in DlD 111 Biblical Archaeology Review "son of' Bulletin 0/ the American Schools o/Oriental Research Brown, Driver, and Briggs: Hebrew and English Lexicon 0/ the Old Testament Biblical Hebrew and Mishnaic Hebrew (Heb.) by B. Mazar by M. Schwabe and B. Lifshitz by N. Avigad Die aramtiischen Texte vom Toten Meer Biblical Hebrew Bibliography Bulletin 0/ the lohn Rylands Library Babylonian Talmudie Aramaie Ben-Yehuda: A Complete Dictionary 0/ Ancient and Modem Hebrew Biblische Zeitschrift Aramaic Papyri 0/ the Fifth Century B. C. Copper Seroll Brand: Ceramics in Talmudic Literature

xiv "David J. Wilmot and the Copper SerolI" DJD DJDJ EB

EBE

EH EI EI ESh con ESh dic

ET ETE ETG ETGL Frag. Gareia Martinez Gordis Greenberg Greenfield H Harkavy "He'arah" "He'arah le'lyyunim" "History" HR HUCA IDB "l:Iiddah"

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

by Wise Diseoveries in the Judaean Desert Diseoveries in the Judaean Desert of Jordan Encyclopaedia Bibliea Encyclopaedia Biblica (Eng.) Encyclopaedia Hebraiea Eretz Israel Encyclopaedia Judaiea (Eng.) Even-Shoshan: A New Coneordanee ofthe Bible (Heb.) Even-Shoshan: HamMillon helJadas Talmudic Encyclopedia (Heb.) Encyclopedia Talmudiea (Eng.) Neaman: Encyclopedia of Talmudical Geography Margalioth: Encyclopedia ofthe Talmudie and Geonie Literature (Heb.) Fragmentary Targum 1he Dead Sea Serail Translated 1he Biblical Text in the Making Foreign Words in the Bible Commentary of Rashi "The Small Caves of Qumran" Hebrew Students' Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary Qimron: "'nn~l '~Y-p '1 'll.' "~K~' i"I'Yi"I" Sharvit: '''nll.',mi"l n"l~ 'll.' i"lJ"'~j C'J"Y" i"I'Yi"I" Wolters: "History and the Copper SerolI" Avinery: Heiehal Rashi Hebrew Union College Annual 1he Interpreter's Dietionary of the Bible Sarfati: n"l~ 'll.' n,,'ni"l l~ i"I,'n - 'C'lK pnj'"

"nll.'mJi"I

" Identifieation" IEI "'Iyyunim" JA JA OS Jastrow JBL JE JJS JNES JPOS JPSi JPSii

Lehmann: "Identifieation of the Copper Seroll Based on its Teehnical Terms" Israel Exploration Journal Sharvit: "nll.',nJi"I n"l~ 'll.' i"lJ"'~j C'J"Y" Judeo-Aramaic Journal of the Ameriean Oriental Society A Dietionary ofthe Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashie Literature Journal of Biblical Literature Jewish Encyclopedia Journal of Jewish Studies Journal of Near Eastern Studies 1he Journal of the Palestinian Oriental Society 1he Holy Seriptures (old ed.) Tanakh - 1he Holy Seriptures (new ed.)

COPPER SCROLL - ABBREVIATIONS

JQR

JSJ JSS KAI

Karo ketivor :! Kraeling KS Letkovits diss

UBIS Lurie

m. MeCarter MGWJ Milik Milikdr or Mdr Milik E Milik ET Milik F Milikorg MK MMTor4QMMT MNM Moseati MT "Mysterious" "Mysteryi" "Mysteryii" NCE "Notes" NRSV NS OY PAPS PEQ Pixner Pixnerorg PsI QA QCH qeri or i' QH

xv

Jewish Quarterly Review Journal for the Study of Judaism Journal of Semitic Studies Donner - Röllig: Kanaanäische und Aramäische Inschriften Millon Talmudi :J'nf, how it is written in the Masoretic Text. The Brooklyn Museum Aramaic Papyri Krupnik-Silbermann: A Dictionary ofthe Talmud ... The Copper Scroll- 3Q15: A New Reading, Translation and Commentary Kutscher: The Language ... ofthe lsaiah Seroll (Heb.) Megillot hanNehoset mimMidbar Yehudah Mishnah (followed by the Traetate) "The Copper Seroll Treasure as an Aeeumulation ... " Monastschrift jar Geschichte und Wissenschaft des Judentums Milik's edition of the Copper Seroll in DJD III Milik's drawing in DJD III "The Copper Doeument from Cave III of Qumran ... " "Notes d'Epigraphie et de Topographie Palestiniennes" "Le Rouleau de Cuivre de Qumrän" Milik's original reading prior his offieial edition Mandelkern: Concordance on the Eible (Heb.) Miq~at Ma'aseh hatTorah Epstein: Mavo' leNosal} hamMisnah Introduction to Comparative Grammar of the Semitic Languages Masoretie Text MeCarter: "The Mysterious Copper SerolI" MeCarter: "The Mystery of the Copper SerolI" (1991) MeCarter: "The Mystery of the Copper SerolI" (1992) New Catholic Encyclopedia Wolters: "Notes on the Copper Seroll (3QI5)" New Revised Standard Version New Series Eisenstein: Ozar Yisrael Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society Palestine Exploration Quarterly "Unraveling the Copper Seroll Code" Pixner's original suggestion Targum Pseudo-Ionathan Qumran Aramaie Qumran Chronicle ''"li?, how it is read in the Masoretie Text. Qumran Hebrew

XVI

RB RQ SB SH SH ST STA STl Sumo SVT SY t.

TA "The Copper Sc roll of Qumran (3Q15) and the Greco-Roman Temple Inventories" "The Fifth Cache" "The Last Treasury" lliLZ Thorion THR Tl TN TO Trg. TS UT "Ve'od l;Iiddah" Vermes "Vocabulary" VT Wacholder

Wise WO Wolters WUS y. Yehoash Z4 Zuckermans

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

Revue Biblique Revue Qumran Steinberg: Millon hatTenakh Samaritan Hebrew Scripta Hierasolymitana Samaritan Targum Samaritan Targum, Nablus Congregation Samaritan Targum, British Museum Or 7562 Summary Supplement to Vetus Testamentum Klein: Sefer hay Yisuv Tosephta (followed by the Tractate) Talmudic Aramaic

by Wilmot Wolters: "The Fifth Cache of the Copper Scroll" Wolters: "The Last Treasury of the Copper Scroll" Theologische Literaturzeitung "Beiträge zur Erforschung der Sprache der KupferRolle" Theologische Rundschau Targum Jonathan on the Prophets Targum Neophyti Targum Onkelos Targum Temple Scroll Gordon: Ugaritic Textbook Qimron: "l1tZ...,nJill1?')~ ?tzl il'l1,,'n~ il,'n The Dead Sea Serails in English Wolters: "The Copper Serail and the Vocabulary of Mishnaic Hebrew" Vetus Testamentum Preliminary Edition of the Unpublished Dead Sea Serails The Dead Sea Serails: A New Translation Die Welt des Orients The Copper Serail: Overview, Text and Translation Aistleitner: Wörterbuch der Ugaritischen Sprache Palestinian Talmud (followed by the Tractate) Torah, Nevi'im uKhetuvim ." (d) Words needed for translation are plaeed in between parenthesis; e.g., "(there are)." (e) Words needed for further explanations are placed in between parenthesis; e.g., "(deep)." (f) Non-restored texts or numerals are often indicated by three dots; e.g., "nine [eubitsl (deep) ... k(arsh of [s(ilver)J." (g) Greek letters are given as they appear, but "(Code:)" is added before them; e.g., "(Code:) XAr" (they are discussed in Appendix C). (3) The Commentary contains: (a) Vocalized subheadings of words or phrases, are indicated by column and line numbers, and are followed by translations; e.g., (1:2) 11i'3!~n 111]1), "below the steps." (b) Alternate readings or vocalizations are indicated by slashes; e.g., 11'tzl~ \1]'tzl~ \1]Will, tzl~~~ \tzl!1~ll. (e) The standard spellings are with the equal sign, often within parenthesis; e.g., l'l:lP (= l i l:lP). (d) Indications of serihal error; e.g., "the text has n,~y for n'19~ (mem instead of samekh)." (e) Discussion of the various drawings and occasionally photographs; e.g., Baker, Milik, Allegro, Zuckermans. (f) Diseussion of the readings, alternate readings, and their translations by the scholars; e.g., Allegro, Milik, Lurie, Pixner. (g) Assumed Hebrew reading of the scholars where only the translation is given and it is needed for eomparison or explanation are indicated in

28

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

parenthesis; e.g., "(i.e., y~, "~)." (h) New readings, alternate readings, their voealizations, and translations. These are diseussed and eompared with similar eases in the SerolI, Masoretic Text, Mishnah, Tosephta, Midrashim, Targumim, Talmudim, and their eommentaries, Dead Sea Serolls, Elephantine Doeuments, inseriptions, ete. (i) Alternate translations are indieated by slashes; e.g., "in/at/by." G) Translations of alternate readings are indieated by slashes; e.g., "sepulcher/diteh/Regeb/Negeb. " (k) Possible singular or plural translations are indicted in parentheses; e.g., "(a) vessel(s)"; i.e., avesseI or vessels. (I) Simple eross referenee; e.g., "9:4"; i.e., column 9, line 4. (m) Cross referenee with diseussion (often encIosed in parentheses); e.g., "(see #55,11:12)"; i.e., see Item 55, eolumn 11, line 12. (n) Extensive footnotes. The Commentary is followed by five Appendices dealing at length with several especially important topics. This is followed by a Word Index of the Copper SerolI, which includes all words, but not alternates, as they appear in the Scroll in alphabetical order indicated by column, line, and item numbers. Lastly, there is an extensive up-to-date Bibliography. One can compare the author's study of possible readings. vocalizations, and interpretations of the text, with the traditional Talmud study system utilized in the Yeshivah world. There the Talmud is analyzed with the help of various commentators whose interpretations often conflict with one another. The student (bal}ur) is, nevertheless, obligated to study most of them, while he is free to accept whichever view he desires. Similarly, in this extensive study the reader can choose any of the alternate suggestions, not necessarily the one proposed here, and even can come up with new solutions. Often the author himself was in a dilemma wh ich of several reasonable possibilities to select (e.g., the problematic phrase l\~'lN pn::l'l:mJ, which occurs five times in the SerolI, can be read, vocalized, and translated numerous ways; see Appendix E). The Commentary, as weil as the Appendices, permit independent study of any segment of the text. Since essentially all quotations are translated and often explained, the Commentary and Appendices are cross referenced, this format should facilitate gaining a better insight into the mystery of the Copper SerolI, especially for those who are not knowledgeable in this field.

ITEM 1 nnn ,,;:,y i'~Y::ITU N;"J)"n) n'~N n'T~' nN');"J m'Y~;"J ;"J";:" ~O;:, n,lU l'Y)'N nnN KEN ;"J'lUY)lU 1";:';:' 'i'lU~

1: 1 1:2 1:3 1:4

1: 1 1:2 1:3 1:4

In the ruin which is in the Valley of Achor, below the steps that are going to east, (at) forty one cubits, (there is) a silver carrying chair with its components, a weight of seventeen talents. (Code:) KEN. COMMENTARY

(1 : 1) ,,~~ P1i3l:;t W~\:1~ '!.I:r~ \~\:1~ "q~, "Inlat/by (althe) ruin/J:[aru vah/J:[arevah which is in/at/by (the) Valley of Achor" - ALLEGROpr: "In the ruin which is in the Valley of 'Achor." ALLEGRO: ,,~y p~Y:l!U ~:I"":I, "In the fortress which is in the Vale of Achor." Jale! for he as often in the Scroll. :1:1,,", cf. Isa. 58:12; Ezek. 36:18, 38:12; Ps. 109:10; Job 3:14; also, mhrb(n) , "castle, fortified place" (South-Arabian), mihrabun, "paviiion, palace" (Arabic), and the toponyms :1:1,,", Harubah, and :I,," "l~, Tower of Harub. Vale of Achor is identified with Buqeia, while Harubah may lie behind the medieval Solitudo Ruha; etc. 1 MILIK: "~Y p~Y:I!U :1:1;'":1, "At Horebbeh, situated in the Valley of Achor." Valley of Achor (also written as l'~Y p~Y, 4:6; cf. 1 Chron. 2:7) is not the Biblical Valley of Trouble, rather it is Wadi Nuwei'imeh, northeast of Jericho. :1:1"", "smali ruin," is Chorembe near Jericho, where a monastery was mentioned by John Moschus; etc. The scribe corrected the Jale! into a he. 2 LURIE: p~Y:l!U ~:I"":I "~Y, "In the (settlement of) J:[aruva which is in the Valley of Achor." ~:I"" is named after the :I,,", "carob tree." For the Valley of Achor, cf. Josh. 7:24-26, 15:10; etc. Valley of Achor is not Buqeia, it is near Jericho. ~:I"" does not mean "fortress" (Allegro). The reading is ~:I"" not :1:1'," (as Milik), i.e., waw and Jale! rather than yod and he. 3 The latter raises some

:I,,", are typographical errors); Allegrorev, 21.

1 Allegro, 33, 134 nn. 1-2 (:1:1"" instead of ~:I"", and ~:I"" "'l~ instead of "'l~

2 MilikF , 323, 330-33; MilikET, 566-67; MilikE, 139, 143-44; Milik, 284-85, 257 C200, 262-63 D-3-4. 3 Lurie, 53-55 and nn. 1-2, 58.

30

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

questions conceming Lurie's methodology. (1) It is practically impossible to distinguish between waw and yod in the Scroll. (2) )Ale! and he, as well as waw and yod, are interchangeable. (3) Both )ale! and he were punched one upon the other. PIXNER: "At the ruin (il:mn:1) which is in the Valley (i'~31) go past (":131)." The valley is the upper section of Gehinnom called i'~31 (Jer. 31:40). ":131 refers to the distance mentioned afterward, and it is better than "::131, since later it is called 1'::131; why two spellings for the name in the same document?4 WOLTERS and WISE follow Allegropr, GARCIA MARTINEZ is like Pixner, while WACHOLDER, BEYER and VERMES agree with Milik. 5 The first word demonstrates the inherent difficulty in reading, vocalizing, and interpreting this document. Each of its letters can be read in more than one way: het/kaj, hel/Jet/taw, dalet/reS, waw/zayin/yod/final nun, het/kaf, and an )ale! punched on an existing he, or vice versa. The latter situation indicates that it was corrected either by the original or by a second scribe. It may be an )ale! or a he, an )ale! plus a he, or a he plus an )ale! Since )ale! and he are interchangeable, it would have been a needless correction, unless the )ale! or the he is added to indicate a Tiberian long qama~; cf. ~il731~il (= il?jl,~0, "the steps"; see #57, 12:4), a feature known from other sources. 6 But if this is so, why was the additional letter not engraved superlinearly, as the lamed and yod of {fU} 'fU7fUil (2:4), the mem of ~':1 (10:15), the reS of fU~' (11:5), or sublinearly, as the 'ayin of31~' (11:l4)? The first letter of this item is the prefixed preposition het followed by a noun, as in over 50 items in the Scroll. The het can be vocalized as -~, -~, -~, -~, -~, -~, "in/at/by." If the attached noun is in the absolute state (common or toponym), it can also be vocalized as -~ (if possible, the next letter has a dageS !orte) , -~, -~, the contracted forms of -0~, -V~, -V~, respectively, "in/at/by the." Accordingly, il~~'t1~ or il~'1.t1~ could mean "in/at/by a ruin" of a number of ruins, or "in/at/by the ruin," the only one at this place. The rendering "in/at/by althe" reflects these possibilities. This distinction is 4 Pixner, 342 and nn. 1-2. 5 The Dawn of Qumran, 94; Wolters (reads ;"I:1',n:1), 32-33; Garcia Martinez, 461; Beyer (adds that it is near Dok), 225; Vennes, 374; Wise, 191. 6 E.g., K;"IY':1 (= mn:\I, "with knowledge," lQS 7:4) vs. ;"IY,I. ;"I1i' ("he shall teach knowledge," Isa. 28:9); '? Kl"I'l"I (= '? ;"I'l"I, "he became for me," lQISa; the Masoretic text has '7 ';:J~1, Isa. 12:2). Licht cannot ~xpi:Un the meaning of the extra 'alef of Kl"IY':1 (The Rule Scroll (Heb., 1965), 161 n. 4). According to Kutscher, he plus 'alefand 'alefplus he instead of the final he represent plene spellings for the final asound. The feminine suffix l"I..... is occasionally spelled in the Isaiah Scroll as K;"I'-; e.g., Kl"I'?Y (= v'7Y,), Kl"I"l:1~ (= v'1.P~), K;"I'?K (= v'7~), Kl"I':1tu" (= v'~l(ii'). See UBlS, 351. Likewise, KV~,'~ '~~ vs. '~~ KY,'~, "the Clan of Sia(ha)" (Ezra 2:44 and Neh. 7:47, respectively). In 4Q SAM-c the scribe wrote ,'?y, then wrote an 'alef on top of the 'ayin, and also placed an 'alef supralinearly. See E.C. U1rich "4Q Sam-c: A Fragmentary Manuscript of 2 Samuel 14-15 from the Scribe of the Serek hay-YaJ.iad (1 Q5)," BASOR 235 (1979), 1-25.

31

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 1

important, since the Scroll being a secret document, often the compiler(s) hesitated to reveal the precise information. Cf. the possible vocalizations of '~!)lJ, "is buried," versus the imperative "!)I.:!, "dig" (see #17,4:7). The first noun can be read many ways: ~~~'I.:! (Allegro, Lurie) , ;'~~'I.:! (Pixner), ~~'i.l.:!, ;'~'i.l.:! (Milik, Wolters, Beyer), ~;'~~'I.:!, ;'~~~'I.:!, ~;'~'i.l.:!, ;'~~'i.l.:!; ~;'J";', ;'~J";', ~J";', ;'J,,;' (with he), etc. A heroic Jewish resistance against the Romans took place at ;'~'i.l.:! ';lf' the "Village of I;Iarevah" (y. Ta'an. 4:5 [21b]), or ;'~~'I.:! ';!f' the "Village of I;Iaruvah" (Lam. Rabbati 2:2); also spelled as ~~~'I.:! ';!f (Gen. Rabbah 64:8). These variants correspond to three of the many possible readings of the Scroll, and may be identical with I;Iaruvah in the Valley of Achor. 7 The root J,n, "to dry, heat, desolate, ruin, attack," represents at least two roots: J,n i (cf. Arabic lJ,araba, "to plunder") and J,n ii (cf. Arabic lJariba, "be in ruins").8 Other possible meanings of ;'~~'I.:! and :1~'i.1.:! are "castle, palace, summer horne, fortified place," etc. 9 The Hebrew verbal patterns of ~~y~ (masc.) and :1?~Y~ (fern.) are the same as the Aramaic ~,y.~ (masc.) and :1\~?'Y.~ (fern.; Hebrew Qal - Pa (al, and Aramaie Pe(al, pass. part. sg.). These patterns, also used as nouns and adjectives, are interchangeable with the nominal patterns of ~,y.~ and :1\~?'Y.~, and perhaps ~,y.~ and :1\~?'Y.~, both in Hebrew and Aramaic; cf. :!t~'lJ vs. :!t'' 1I.:!, "trench" (see #23, 5:8). Thus, :1\~~~'I.:!, :1\~~'''11.:!, and :1\~~'i.l.:! (e.g., '~l$ :1~!.I.:! C.7~~,;, "that Jerusalern is in ruin," Neh. 2: 17), are interchangeable. 1O 7 Many toponyms contain the term :J,"; e.g., :J1'1j, I:Iaruv (y. Demai 2:1 [7a)); ?'P~ :J1'1j, Tower of I:Iaruv (t. Shevi. 4:11); J1" 'CI, Mount Horeb (Exod. 33:6, etc.), !(~~·P" !(.t;I1'~1?, Ruins of the Lepers (b. San. 7Ia). Some of these are mentioned by Allegro (134 n. I) and Lurie (53 n. I). See also, Jastrow, 499; AC 3, 485-86. Klein suggests that Kefar I:Iarevah/I:Iaruvah was located southeast of Lod in Judea (SY, 92a-93b; cf. ETG 2, 41-44). fern.), "sword, large knife," vs. ljrb (= J,"), "to become 8 Cf. Ugaritic I}rb (= dry" (UT, 398b [#893], 404b [#1000]; WUS, 106-07 [#963], 116 [#1078)). These show that two proto-Semitic sounds either merged into or are represented by a singular character in Hebrew (see M.Z. Segal, Diqduq LeSon hamMisnah, 33). FOT the lexicographers list: one root (SB, 266-68); one root with two meanings (ESh con I, 737-43); two roots (BY 3, 1729b-36b); two roots but one meaning (MK I, 422-25); and three roots (BDB, 351-53). 9 Ben-Yehuda (3, 1735) claims that ;'~11j (Ezek. 33:27; Job 3:14) means "beautiful palace," and it is related to the Arabic hrm, 'ahram, large buildings of the burial sites of the Egyptian rulers. Yehoash explains ;'~11j as "devastation," "pyramid" (cf. Arabic 'ahram), "palace" (cf. Arabic mihrab), or "summer horne" (from "summer"; Yehoash 's Notes on the Bible, 180b, 264b). BDB (352a) translates ;'~1t;1 as "waste, desolation, ruin," and so Mandelkern (423a). See also S. Daiches, "The Meaning of niJ1"," JQR 20 (1908),637-39. 10 Several times in the Masoretic Text the ketiv is ?1Y~ while the qeri is ?'l!~, and vice versa; e.g., 'ami? (ketiv) vs. '15''li? (qeri, Num 26:9); 'W'li? (ketiv) vs. '1511i? (qeri, Num. 1 :16; see Gordis, 117-19). Moreover, both patterns may occur in the same verse; e.g., "If a man has two wives, one ;'~1;'~ (is loved) and one ;'1$1l~ (is hated) , and they, ;'~1;'~:j ;'1$1l~Cll (the loved one and the hated one), born hirn sons, and the first-born will be ;'I$'~~? (for the hated one)" (Deut. 21 :15; Ibn-Ezra considers ;'I$'~~ as an adjective). According to

J,",

J,"

J1",

32

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

The following are additional possible readings, vocalizations, and interpretations for this problematic word. t(;,~";,, ;,t(~";', t(~";,, or ;,~,,;, may be variants of ;'~1V, Harabbah, a city in the Judaen Mountains (Josh. 15:60),11 the waw may represent a Tiberian patalJ (a similar case will be discussed later). Thus, ;,~,,;,~ = ;'~1v~ means "in/at/by Harabbah." Yet the first he may be adefinite article, i.e., ;'~1v~, a non-contracted form of ;'~1~, "in/at/by the Rabbah"; cf. C:~o/0~ vs. C'~o/~, "in the heavens" (Ps. 36:6 and 2:4, respectively), ;'1.0/0~ (ketiv) vs. ;'1.0/;1 (qeri) , "in the field" (2 Kgs 7:12; see Radak).12 ;'~1, Rabbah, "populous/great (city)," is a short form of 11~:l '~~ 11~1, "Rabbah of the Sons of Ammon" (2 Sam. 12:26-27), i.e., the capital of Ammon. 13 The compound relative-preposition -~IU can be vocalized as -~W' -~W' -~W' -~W' -~W' "which is in/at/by," and when the noun is in absolute state, also as -~W (if possible, the next letter has a dagef jorte) , -~W, and -~W (contracted forms of -0~W, -V~W, -V~W, respectively), "which is in/at/by the." -~IU appears 18-19 times in the Scroll, plus three times with suffixes. 14 In the Masoretic Text -~IU occurs only twice: U7.~~~W, "which is in our degradation" (Ps. 136:23), and C'7,l1f~W, "which is in the vineyards" (1 Chron. 27:27).15 However, it is commonly used in Mishnaic Hebrew; e.g., '~ry~W '1::l0, "the pit which is in the courtyard" (m. Miq. 3:2); lli?11l10 some, '~11~ implies temporariness, while ")I~ permanence (e.g., A. Kahana, Diqduq halLason ha'lvrit [1931), 44). Likewise, in Aramaic 1(7~11~ - 1(l)7~11~ and 1(7')I~ - 1(l)7')I!l are often interchanged. E.g., the Targum for C7il1 'tl, "everiasting heap," is C?Y.7 :mtl 'tl (TO, PsJ), "everlasting heap of ruin" (Deut. 13:17); and for 'i~?t "),1, "besieged city," is l(l)lR7 'i~11(:t~'tl, "into the desolated city of Tyre" (Ps. 60:11). Jastrow (499a) lists together both forms, :1i'lJ, :1''11J (masc.), l(:ti'lJ, 1(:t'"J.1J (fem.), "ruined, desolate." 11 :1:1,:1 (cf. ESh con 3, 1967b) is rendered with or without the definite article: "the Rabbah" UPSi), "Rabbah" (JPSii). The Targum has :1:1,:1, not I(n:1', demonstrating that the first he is a part of the name; cf. Appcßa, Arreba in some versions of the Septuagint (BOB, 913b). Steinberg (769a) identifies :1:1,:1 with Hirbat Rabia'. Also see #13,3:8. 12 Usually the definite article he assimilates into the prepositions of bet, kaJ, lamed, which receives its vocalization. However, there are exceptions; e.g., C'7p1.1~:}7~ = C'7yn~?~, "and for the axes" (1 Sam. 13:21, see Radak), '~'~:}7 = ,~,~?, "for the troop" (2 Chron. 25:10) vs. ,~,~~ = '~'~:}~, "in the troop" (Job 29:25). 13 Rabbat Ammon was called Philadelphia in the Hellenistic - Roman period. It is the modem 'Amman, the capital of Jordan, located about 45 km northeast of Jericho (SB, 648). 14 l":1IU (8:1), 'ln:1IU (1:6, 2:5), nl':1IU (12:10), nTl~:1IU (6:14), n1m:l!U (2:13), n'~:1IU (3:8, 3:11), 'l~:1IU (9:17), l:1'l:1IU (alt., 1 :5), 'nl:1IU (5:12), 1(:1:l0:1IU (5:5), P~l1:1IU (1:1,4:6), l'1!lfJIU (4:11), )1!llJ'IU (9:14), "'IU:1IU (9:1); and I(:1IU (8:14), il:1IU (9:16), ':!IU (2:9). 15 The usual biblical form is -:I ,~~; e.g., li':;lD~ ,~~ 1('1~~ ,~;~~, "in the Terebinths of Mamre, which are in Hebron" (Ge~. '13:18); :1~~~~~' io/~ 'li'~31 n'1ip, "Field of Ephron which is in the Machpelah" (Gen. 23:17).

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 1

33

Y71i1~W, "the trough which is (hewn) in the rock" (m. Miq. 4:5). Moreover,

-~~ a"nd -~W are practical1y interchangeab1e with 1;IW, -7W, -7W, and -?W (= -6 '1;1~). Cf: 1;Ii'~t! 10i:;)t! llP~~~ ,;~~\,;'~, "In/at/by' ~lthe 'heap whi~h is

in/at/by (the) Bridge/Pass of the High Priest" (6:14-7:1), vs. '~ 1;1~ ,;~~\,;'~ "In/at/by althe heap which is in/at/by the Val1ey of Secacah" (4:13). i'~y., "val1ey" (from the root i'~Y, "to be deep"), occurs 43 times in the Masoretic Text. In addition, i'~y. is the first element of sixteen bib1ical toponyms; e.g., 17.~ij i'~y. N';' ;'1~ i'~y'1;I~, "at the Val1ey of Shaveh, that is the King's Val1ey" (Gen. 14:17; see #46, 10:5). Moreover, llii"~, "epths," occurs as an alternate reading in the Scroll (see #45,10:3). ,i:::lY. i'~y.~~, "which is in (the) Val1ey of AchorlDisturbance," is spelled 1ater as 1i:::ly' i'~y.~~, a nun-reS interchange (cf. '1:>n and 11:>n, see #17,4:7). ,i:::lY., Achor, is from the root ,:::lY (H, A), "to disturb, trouble." ,i:::lY. i'~y., "Val1ey of Achor," near Jericho appears five times in the Masoretic Text. 16 It was named after 1~Y., Achan, who violated the 01.1], "ban," imposed on Jericho at the time of the conquest by Joshua. 17 N~~9ij,

And Joshua took :lV!D litti7 ruq nT!15V n151 ~9~D n151 nli P 1:tY, nl5 (Achan the son of Zerah, with the silver, and the rnantle, and the bar of gold) ... and all Israel was with hirn, and they brought thern up to ,i:lY, i'~y. (Walley of Achor) ... And Joshua said, "UJ;l"'1:;13l, m~ (Why did you troubled us)? The Lord ,:n:~i!: (shall trouble you) this day!" ... And all Israel stoned hirn to death ... and they raised 'i'~ C'H~ ,~ (a great heap of stones) over hirn (that rernains) to this day ... Therefore, he called the name of that place ,i:ly, i'~y. (Valley of Achor/Trouble) until this day (Josh. 7:24-26).18 And the sons of Carmi (were), C'm~ 'll/? '!f'~ '~lfp' ':;Ii37 ':tY, (Achar, the troubler of Israel, who violated the ban; 1 Chron. 2:7).19 The 1atter is c1arified by the Targum as, 1;I~1ip' 1l~ '~3l,'1 1~Y. N';' '~Y., "Achar is Achan, who troub1ed Israel" (nun-reS interchange). Since Chronic1es names Achan as Achar, it is essential for the Targum to identify hirn. 20 There are many references to Achan; e.g., 1~y'1;I~ i'P, "like (the) heap of Achan" (m. Oh. 15:7), al1uding to the above verse. 21 Rav and Samue1 16 Josh. 7:24,26, 15:7; Hos. 2:17; Isa. 65:10 (see #24,5:13; #54, 11 :9). 17 See Josh. Ch. 7. See also, I.M. Casanowitz, Paronomasia in the Old Testament (1892), 39, 69 and n. 104. 18 The Mishnah discusses the execution of Achan (m. San. 6:2). The Talmudim raise the question, what was the sin for wbich Achor received capital punishment based on bis own confession (y. San. 6:3 [20b-21a]; b. San. 43b-44a). Maimonides explains that it was due to ;'l?~ i;" unusual circumstances of that time (M isneh Torah, Hilkhot Sanhedrin 18). 19 (Pseudo-)Rashi, Radak, and Me~udat David elaborate on this verse why Achan is called Achar. 20 See also, A. Rahmer, Targum sei Divrei hayYamim ... (1866), pt. 1,4-5; Ein lateinischer Commentar ... zu den Büchern der Chronik ... (1866), pt. 1, 8. Cf. Josh. 22:20 and its Targum. Regarding c,n, see #43, 9:16.

mn

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

34

identify Achan with Zimri. 22 One says, "(Since) his name was Zimri, why was his name called 1~Y. (snake)? 1~'Y.1(! (because he caused) the punishment for Israel's sin" (b. San. 44b).23 The basic disagreement among the scholars is whether the first word in the Scroll is a common noun or a toponym. The first view is supported by the phrase l'~Y. i'~Y.fI(!1'1:9D '~o/ 1'~, "between/among the two buildings which is in the Valley of Achon" (see #17, 4:6). The Valley of Achor/Achon, as Lurie points out, is located near Jericho. 24 As noted above, both ;'~"t! and ;'~'!.o mean "ruin, desolate (area)." Thus, "~y. i'~Y.fl(! N;'~'!.t!~\N;'~"t!~ can be rendered as, "In/at/by a ruin which is in the Valley of Achor," or "In/at/by the ruin which is in the Valley of Achor," depending whether the first bet is only apreposition or it is a combination of apreposition and the definite artic1e. The first case may indicate that this valley has were several ruins, and in one of them is hidden the reported cache, thus further limiting the information. According to the second possibility, the valley had only one ruin, thus the information is more specific. Since the Scroll is a secret and coded document, the first possibility seem to be the proper reading. Finally, it possible to read the word in question as ,tJ3l, (with a bet), "pass over" (from the root '::1:11, "to pass"), as Pixner and Garcia Martinez do, however, "~y. (with a kaf) is a more plausible reading. (1 :2)

1iN'~D n"3l,~D

notl, "below the steps that are coming/going" -

Cf.

n"3l,~D nOtll(!, "which is below the steps" (2:1), and =) N;'73l,~D nlJ-1'1

(;'73l,~D, "below the step" (sg., see #57, 12:4). 1iN'~D n"3l,~D nOtl is like the phrase n"")'~D n"3l,~D '3Z1, "and until the steps that are descending" (Neh. 3:15); both contains apreposition followed by two plural feminine forms, both prefixed with the definite artic1e. 1iN'~D, "that are coming/going," is a non-standard spelling for n'N~D (Qal act. part. pI. fern. of the verb N'::1, "to come, go," prefixed with the definite 21 See Tif 'eret Israel on this Mishnah. ;l occurs in the Scroll (1: 11). 22 So is Rabbi Joshua ben Levi (y. San. 6:1 [20b]). 23 Rashi explains P'l! on the basis of ~Pll (A, same as 1~Y., MH, "snake") as, "like a snake that encircles (its prey) with a circular fence" (ad loc.). See Jastrow, 1079; AC 6, 198b-99a. The sin of Achan is discussed at various places; e.g., m. San. 6:3; t. San. 9:5; y. San. 6:3 [20a-b]; b. San. 43b-44b. Achan's sin is also mentioned in an elegy (~rp) by Rabbi Eleazar Kallir (c. 7th cent. CE) recited on the Ninth of Ab, which commemorates the destruction of both Temples. The sixteenth line (letter Cayin, the initial letter of the name Achan) says, "But to us shame of face, C~.I}~ ;lll? 'O/~ 1~Y.~ (because of Achan who violated the ban) without finding an answer (to the charge)." See A.I.J. Rosenfeld, The Authorised Kinot for the Ninth of Av (1970), 123; B.Z. Schischa, Seder Qinot ham-Mevo'arot leTWah be'Av (1985/86), 136. 24 See also, Y. Safrir, "":J)7 P~)7" in EB 6,298-99.

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 1

35

artic1e acting as a relative). The waw may represent a Tiberian long qama~, while the plural suffix 1"- is spelled defectively; cf. l1'i'IZm (Bakerdr, Miljkdr) for llj?1W(J, vs. llj?·W(J (Allegrodr), "the sink" (see #49, 10: 16).25 This feature is known from the Dead Sea Scrolls,26 ketiv-qeri cases in the Masoretic Text,27 Babylonian Aramaic Magical Texts,28 Mishnah and Tosephta manuscriptS. 29 The non-standard spellings are remnants of a non-Masoretic orthography. They represent dialects that differ from the Tiberian vocalization, and should not be confused with the full plene spellings, N?~ :1'1:'9 N?~l, of the printed editions of the Midrashim and Talmudim. 30 Moreover, 1iN'~(J for ll1N~(J resembles the Masoretic spellings of ll1NlOIJ for llN1lOlJ, "sins" (e.g., 1 Kgs 16:13), '1N~ip for 'N1~ip, "left" (e.g., 2 Kgs 23:8), etc. One can read as ;'l$'~J:! (cf. Lurie), a variant of ;'~'~J:!, "hidden"31 (Qal 25 Cf. l(:m:l (= :1~i~, alt.) where the waw may represent a Tiberian mobile sewa' (see #32,7:14-15). Also, l(:1J,,:1J for :1J,:1J (a1t.), as discussed above. 26 E.g., 0'"" (1QS 5:21, 9:14) vs. Or;m, "their soul" (Judg. 8:3); Om"Jl (IQS 1:21) vs. Ol)'1'J~, "their power" (Micah 7:16); O'l(,JJ (1QSa 1:4) vs. Ol$iJ~, "as they come" (1 Sam. 16:6); cf. 11l('J:1 (1 :2) vs. lil(~;:1 (Gen. 41 :35) - 11il(~;:I, "which are coming" (Isa. 41 :22). Thus, waw may represent a Tiberian qama~. See J. Licht, The Rule Seroil, (Heb., 1965), 47; The Thanksgiving Seroll (1957), 9. 27 E.g., 0111:l lmJ (ketiv) - 0N'7i:1~ (qeri) , "as they go," Nah. 2:6); li'~ (ketiv), Galon, vs. 17il, Golan (Josh. 20:8, 21 :27); o'mlJ:1 (ketiv) vs. O'n~;:I (qeri), "the villagers" (Esth. 9:19); ,111"l' (ketiv) - ':P~?"1' (qeri) "and your greatness" (Ps. 145:6). The vocalization of a word may influence the next one; e.g., "ll$iJl? 111$1"l~~i7.3 111$ (ketiv) vs. "l1$~i7.3 111$1"l~~i7.3 111$ (qeri) , "your goings and your comings" (2 Sam. 3:25); and "I$~i7.3' "I$~i7.3" "and its exits and its entrances," instead of "I$Ül?' (Ezek. 43:11), cf. Wli?7p;:l '15~i7.3 ,j~ 11~~;:I l(iJl?', "to the entrance of the Temple, and to a11 the exits of the Sanetuary" (Ezek. 44:5). See B.M. Lewin, ","l11J 0'77.3:1 l,!,' in Tachkemoni 1 (1910), 25-38. 28 E.g., l(111lU'Jl'"" (= l(l)o/'J I'm,), "evil spirits" (Go:H:2); ,'7.3lU" (= 11?o/7) , "far your name" (Go:6:1). Aeeording to W.H. RosselI, the waw indieates that in Babyion the qamas was pronouneed as 0 (A Handbook of Aramaie Magical Texts, 14,20-21). 29 E.g., n"'l( (ms.) vs. n"l( (pr. ed.), "half-briek" (m. 'Eruv. 1 :3). This term will be diseussed later. Epstein lists many words from various manuscripts where waw represents long and short qama~ (MNM 2, 1245). 30 Many non-standard ketiv spellings in the Masoretie Text have paraIleis where there are no ketiv-qeri eases, as weil as in the Dead Sea Serolls, in the Babylonian Aramaie Magie Bowls, and in better Mishnah and Tosephta manuseripts. The extra waw, where the Tiberian long qama~ is expeeted, indieates that the long qama~ might have been eloser to /Jolam (ow) then to a pata/J (a) as in the Yemenite and Ashkenazi pronuneiations. Perhaps, 11l('J:1 was pronouneed Iike the Yemenite habbo'owt, Ashkenazi habbo'ous or habbos, rather than the Sepharadi habba'ot. Regarding unusual voealizations, cf. O'l('"1ip instead of the expeeted O'l(lip, "(they) used to eall" (Ps. 99:6), where the Masorah notes, :11)~ 'l(:1, "the 'alef is silent"; and it is like the Mishnaie form l''"1ip (e.g., m. Ber. 1:1), where the 'alefis missing. Aceording to Morag, many biblieal words having non-standard voealization represent a pronuneiation that differed from the Tiberian system, and has an affinity with certain lateand post-biblieal traditions ("On the Historieal Validity of the Voealization of the Hebrew Bible," JA OS 94 [1974J, 307-15). 31 Lurie, 53, 58.

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

36

pass. part. fern. sg. from the root ;,:m, "to hide"; JaleI-yod interchange); cf. C'1~~ l?~~ ;':~:JQ, "it is hidden in the shade of Egypt" (Songs Rabbah on 2:1).32 (;'~~:JQ is a synonym of ~~nQ (1:7), 1~!)1J - '~!)IJ (see #17, 4:7), and P!)~ (see #60, 12:10). Accordingly, ;'~~:JQ n;'!l.~0 nlJt! ,;:J3t i'1?y.f.W ;'~~'Q~ could mean, "In/at/by (a/the) ruin/l;Iarevah/l;Iaruvah which is in the Valley of Achor, it is hidden below the steps"; cf. 1;'T,?9i~0 '~Q~W ';';0 ';:J~\';:Jf. 1;'7~v n.tl~0 'H N:7m~\N:7mf. ~~nQ ;Yitli? ~1.;.f., "In/at/by the great cistem which is in the Court of the Peristyle, at/by the side of its bottom concealed in althe circular-wall opposite to the upper entrance" (see #3, 1:6-8).

'w

(1 :2) n,r~, can be vocalized as nlT~7, "to east, toward east, eastward," nlT~7, "to the east," and n1T~7, "to (the) east of" (const.). Regarding geographical directions, see #4,1:11; #10, 2:10; #14, 3:11-12; #19, 4:11. (1 :2-3) l'Y.~,,!~ nlJ~ n;~~ - The word between n'~N and l'Y:J'N consists of four letters, JaleI, dalet/res, waw/yod/zayin or short-Iegged final nun, and a he/~et/taw. Thus, it can be read as: ;"mN, m'N, n"N, ;,r'N, m'N, m'N,

;"'N, n"N, n"N, ;'l'N, npN, npN, ;"'N, m'N, m'N, ;,r'N, m'N, nr'N, ;"'N, n"N, n"N, ;'l'N, nl'N, and nl'N. Obviously, most of these are meaningless. This problematic word has been analyzed as folIows. ALLEGROpr: "fortyfour (?) cubits." n"N is connected with n"N, "bond, timber, space," and Nn"N, "lath or pole" (?). Although "linear," if this is the meaning, would be self-evident! ALLEGROrpr: "forty linear (?) cubits." ALLEGRO: Since the readings of m'N or n"N are "dubious," and m'N, "wide (cubit), " or n"N, "space (in writing), " are wrong, it must be a dittography for l'Y:J'N.33 MILIK: ;"'N, a dittography for l'Y:J'N.34 LURIE: n"N is a Mishnaic measurement of one-and-half handbreadth. n"N n'~N is equal to the size of a "halfbrick," or 12-15 cm. Thus, l'Y:J'N n"N n'~N, "forty Jaria~ cubits" is 4.8 to 6 meters, the depth of the pit below the steps in wh ich the treasure is hidden. 35 PIXNER: n"N, "Iong cubits"; thus, l'Y:J'N n"N n'~N, "(at a distance of) forty long cubits. "36 WOLTERS: n"N m~N, "road-cubits. "37 BEYER: n'~N 32 Cf. :11$1 vs. :1~1, "an unclean bird" (Lev. 11:14 and Deut. 14:13, respectively); :11;t"~ vs. :1~!:;I, "fat" (Ezek. 34:3 and 34:20, respectively). Several times in Biblical Aramaic the ketiv is ~,- while the qeri is :1~-; e.g., ~~?l1 (ketiv) vs. :11;t?l1 (qeri), "the most high" (Dan. 3:26,32); ~~i!'::1! (ketiv) vs. :11;ti!'J""! (qeri), "the fourth" (Dan. 2:40, 3:25). According to Gordis (110-13), yod between two vowels tends to assimilate to an 'ale!, a common phenomenon in Eastern Aramaic. See also Bendavid 1, 216. 33 Allegro, 33, 134 n. 3. 34 Milik, 284, 285. 35 Lurie, 53, 55 nn. 3-4. 36 Pixner, 342 and n. 3 (m,~ may be a typographical error for n',~). 37 Wolters, 32-33.

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37

n"N, "briek(?)-eubits." Perhaps a briek-eubit is between a eubit and a span (= half eubit), e. 30 cm. 38 WACHOLDER, GARCIA MARTINEZ, VERMES, and WISE follow Allegro and Milik. 39 It should be noted that ALLEGRorpr, LURIE, PIXNER, WOLTERS, and BEYER consider n"N m~N as one entity. l'Y.~,,!15, "forty," like the other 'tens' in the Seroll, 1''"!93l, "twenty" (7:6, 10:11, 12:9), l''"!o/3l (8:13), l'~~, "sixty" (2:6, 5:10, 10:7, 12:1), l'Y.~~, "seventy" (2:6), and :I'Y.~~ (4:12) are spelled with a (final) nun instead of final memo The teens (20-90) have the same formation as the usual maseuline plural C'-, whieh oecurs most of the time as 1'- in the Scroll (like l""!~~, "talents," later in this item). The plural 1'- ending oeeurs several times in the Masoretie Text (e.g., Ezek. 26:18; Job 31:10), although never in numbers. Mishnaie Hebrew uses both forms indiseriminately.40 m'N ar n"N may well be a seribal error. If this is the ease, it must be a dittography of m~N rather than l'Y:l'N, sinee the word in question ean be read as l1"N where only the letters res and mem are mixed up. It is unlikely that an entire word be left uneorreeted when a single letter of the first ward of the Seroll was correeted. While Lurie's reading is aeeeptable, his interpretation is not. If lJ"1$ ni~15 1'Y.~,,!15 is equal to 15 eubits, why is it not so indieated? It is either :'I~15 "eubit" or lJ''"!1$ (MH), "a half briek" (also used as a measurement).41 The Aramaic cognate of lJ''"!1$ is NlJ''"!~, "half-briek, pole, bar. "42 Maimonides says that :'I~'~7 (fern.), a "briek" is three by three handbreadths, and 38 Beyer, 224-25.

39 The Dawn ojQumran, 94; Garcia Martinez, 461; Vermes, 374; Wise, 191. 40 The nun ending is used in Moabite: llU'lU, "thirty," 1)7:l'~, "forty," llU~n, "fifty" (KAI, 1, 33 [#181 :2,8,28]); Biblical Aramaie: l"iU)1, "twenty" (Dan. 6:2), l'n?T;1, "thirty" (Dan. 6:8,13), l'T;1tU, "sixty" (Ezra 6:3; Dan. 3:1, 6:1); Targumim: 1"0/)1, "twenty" (Gen. 32:14,16), l'n';'T;1 (Gen. 18:30), 1'l!~'~, "forty" (Gen. 18:29), etc. The mem ending is used in Ugaritic: 'srm, "twenty" (41 :5), arb'm, "forty" (41 :2), {l{m, "thirty" (3:19), etc.; Phoenician: ClU'lU, "thirty," ClU~n, "fifty," C)7lUn, "ninety"; Punic: C)7:l'~, "forty," ClU~n; Neo-Punic: C'O)7, "twenty," ClU'lU," ClU~n (KAI I, 1,4,9,14,20,21,25,26,29 [#3:2; #19:8; #41 :5; #101 :4; #110:3-4; #1 1I :3-4; #130:2-3; #141 :3; #158:3]), etc. 41 E.g., "and an 0"1:1 is a half of a brick of three handbreadths" (m. 'Eruv. 1 :3). The Talmudim compare to manner ofwriting of the Song of the Sea (Exod. 15:1-19) and Song of Deborah (Judg. 5:1-31) to bricklaying; i.e., 0"1:1 '1I~ 'll '1I~ 'llO'""1I:1, "a half brick upon a whole brick and a whole brick upon a half brick," while the list of the ten sons of Haman (Esth. 9:7) and that of the kings of Canaan (Josh. 12:9-24) 0"1:1 '1I~ 'll 0"1:1 '1I~ 'll "a half brick upon a half brick and a whole brick upon a whole brick" is (y. Meg. 3:7 [26a]; b. Meg. 16b). Rashi explains that 0''11:1 is the written text while the empty space which is twice the size of the written text. 42 E.g., "in a house of seven ~1J''1~1 ~~~':;!? (bricks and a half brick) ... and it was missing one lotlJ"~ (half brick) " (b. Shab. 129a). Also, ~1J''1~ is the Targum for tli~, "pole, bar" (Num. 4:10, etc.), and ':1, "pole, bar" (Exod. 27:6, etc.).

:"Ir:;!?' :"Ir:;!?

:"Ir:;!?

:"Ir:;!?',

:"Ir:;!?

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

38

Jj''"!~, "a half brick," is one-and-half by three handbreadths. 43 According the uncovered square shaped bricks in Palestine, a half-brick is between 11.2 by 22.5 and 12.5 by 25 cm. 44 Additional interpretations of ""~ are discussed below. m~~ (fern., pI. Il1~~), "cubit, " the most frequent word in the Scroll, it occurs thirty-five times. Hs cognates are ~\i1~~ (pI. l'1P~, Aramaic), and ammatu (Akkadian). 45 i1~~ is a unit of 1ength, the size of the i1~~, "forearm, " of an average man; it is five, six, or seven handbreadths long. The accepted values in Halakhah varies, being 48 cm, 54 cm, 57 cm, and 62.4 cm. According to Brand, the cubit of the First Temple era was 45 cm. 46 Regarding the secondary meaning of i1~~ (MH), "canal," see #21,5:1-2. There were various types of cubits. E.g., Il'~1l'~ i1~~, "average cubit" (m. KeI. 17:10); i1"P~~ i1~~, "short cubit" (y. Yoma 4:4 [20b]); i1~"~ i1~~, "short cubit" (b. Zev. 62b); i1~~~ i1~~, "short cubit" (b. 'Eruv. 3b); i1~~ Ilj?lj1iZl, "Iarge cubit" (b. 'Eruv. 3b; cf. pIJ1iZl ";lW [masc.], "Iarge handbreadth," b. Suk. 7a); C'7~0 Il~~, "cubit of the (Temple) vessels" (m. KeI. 17:10); 1:~~0 Il~~, "cubit of the (Temple) building" (m. KeI. 17:10); Il~~ i1~~, "cubit of Moses" (m. KeI. 17:9); ~1i' ,~ i1~~, "Temple cubit" (b. 'Eruv. 48a); ~,~ Il~~, "cubit of man," i.e., large cubit (Deut. 3:11). There were two measuring rods deposited in the Shushan Chamber of the Temple, one was one cubit of Moses plus one-half fingerbreadth, while the other one cubit of Moses plus one fingerbreadth (m. KeI. 17:9). Furthermore, the difficult phrase, i11?,~~ Il1~~ ~tP. i1~re0 1'~, "the full reed

is six cubits :"1?'~t:t," is rendered by Jonathan as

"no l'~t:t Il'~ ~~m l1ljo/~, "no

"the measurement of the reeds is six cubits "11." (Ezek. 41 :8). ;'?'~~ and have been explained as follows. Rashi: i1?'~~ Il1~~ means large cubits (Exod. 24: 11). Radak: i1~~, "cubit, " is the distance from the tip of the forefinger to the elbow, while i1?'~~, "Iarge. " Thus, i1?'~~ Il1~~ means "Iarge cubits," i.e., the distance from the tip of the forefinger to the armpit. "11., 43 See Tosephot Yom-Tov (referring to Maimonides) and Tif'eret Israel on m. 'Eruv. 1 :3.

44 See Y. Brand, "'l?t/l ;,p'nl/;' ;,~tot;, ",tot?" in Sinai 40 (1958), 574. According to N. L1oyd, in BabyIon the brick was 13 X 13 X 3-3.5 inches ("Brickwork," Encyclopaedia Britannica 4 [1941), 118a). 45 tot~l5\m~l5 is one of those feminine nouns that form their plural in Hebrew with the suffix m- (i.e., n;~l5), while in Aramaic with )"- (i.e., )"lpl5; e.g., Dan. 3:1; Ezra 6:3). 46 Y. Brand, "U?t/l ;,p'nl/;' ;,~tot;, ",tot?" in Sinai 40 (1958), 673-81. Regarding the Halakhic views, see Y.G. Weiss, Torah Metrology (Heb.), 203 et passim. The various measurement of the cubit mentioned by Weiss vary between 432 and 632 mm. Ben-David concludes that the "builders cubit" was 560 mm. ("The Hebrew-Phoenician Cubit," PEQ 110 [1978), 27-28). Regarding the cubit of the Temple and of Qumran, see D. Chen, "Cubit of the Temple, Cubit of Qumran," Proceedings of the Tenth World Congress of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, August 16-24, 1989, Div. B, Vol. 2 (1990), 9-14.

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39

"width," means that in the width there were six r,ubits. Ibn-Ezra: i1~~~, "according to 'the' cubit" of the Tabemacle" (Exod. 37:9), may refer to an i1t?'~~ type of measurement used in the First Temple. Ma)amar Yom-Tov (ad loc.) further explains that the length of this cubit was tiH the 0'1: '7.'~~, "armholes"; cf. '9'1.: n,,~~ n1]t1, "under your armholes" (Jer. 38:12).47 Me~udat David: i1?'~~ n,~~ are large cubits, each having six handbreadths (Ezek. 41 :8). BDB: i1?'~~ might be an architectural term meaning "to the joining. "48 Steinberg: "~~ (masc.) is the upper arm. i1?'~~ n~~ is a large cubit, the measure of the arm till the armpit, like rti'l:( n~~ (Deut. 3: 11).49 Harkavy: "~~ means "wing of a building," i1?'~~ (with a directional he), "to the wing. "50 Ben-Yehuda: i1?'~~ (masc., the accent is on the penultimate syHable) cannot be connected with the feminine n'~~. 51 Yehoash: i1?'~~ could mean "at/to the upper arm" or "to the joining. "52 Even-Shoshan: i1?'~~ is a "linear measurement longer than a regular cubit, apparently from the end of the middle finger to the armpit." It may be an ancient measurement. 53 Others translate the phrase in question as: "a fuH reed of six cubits to the joining" (JPSi); "a fuH reed of six long cubits" (NRSV, Koren); "its elevation was a rod's length, or six cubits" (JPSii); "a fuH rod [thick], a six cubits space" (Tanach); etc. Silber claims that i1?'~~ n,~~ never existed, it is an error originating from Radak's explanation. Silber reasons: (1) Since n,~~ is plural while i1?'~~ is singular, it is grammatically erroneous. (2) i1?'~~ i1~~ as a measurement is unknown from Biblical or other sources. 54 Both of these reasons are not convincing. (1) The construct i1?'~~ n1~~ is the same as i1?'~~ 'W n'~~. Since i1?'~~ defines i1~~, it need not be plural; cf. 11.~1 n'1~ n"~f' "like the measures of the hewn stones and cedar wood" (1 Kgs 7: 11); i11~l7? ' J.y. vs. n"~7? ''Jy., "fortified cities" (2 Chron. 14:5 and 11:10, respectively). (2) Being one of the many rare biblical words not found in other sources cannot be considered automatically incorrect. As noted above, the length of an i1~~, "cubit, arm," can be five, six, or seven O'lJ~!p (pI. of n~ö n~~, BH, MH), "handbreadths." The Hebrew i1~R (const. i1~i?; pI. l\C'~R; const. '~i?) and the Aramaic i1~i? - '~i? (emph. N:~j2, pI. nR, emph. N:~R), "reed" (or "rod"), is also used as a unit of length. Ac47 See also M.J. Weinstock, "He'arot uVi'urim" on Ma'amar Yom-Tov (164 n. 14), who refers to Ezek. 41 :8. 48 BDB,69b. 49 SB, 51b, 67a. 50 Harkavy, 36b. 51 BY I, 368 n. 4. 52 Yehoash's Notes on the Bible, 184a. 53 EShdic I, 146a; ESh con 1, 194b, respectively. 54 "~'P~ "tu ,tl,tu!) n':lpY:l )1tu" 'l":I:1" in Lesonenu 26 (1961162), 6. Neither Brand nor Weiss mention the term :1"':!/~ m~~.

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

40

cording to Ezekiel and its Targum, a il~R, "reed," is six il7~~ l1i1.l~ or l'7P~ n11.; i.e., "six large cubits." In the Aramaic text of New Jerusalem a 'reed' is equated to seven cubits; e.g., y~rp l'7P~ '1] il~i?, "one reed (i.e.,) seven cubits" (4Q554 5:6); 21 l'7P~ il1)71;1 nR, "three reeds (i.e.,) 21 cubits" (4Q554 3:13-14). Since a regular cubit is equal six handbreadths, while a large one is equal to seven, therefore, a reed is equal seven regular cubits, i. e., 7 X 6 = 42 handbreadths, or six large cubits, i. e., 6 X 7 = 42 handbreadths. Thus, there is no conflict between the two systems in all three sourees, Ezekiel, Targum, and New Jerusalem; the reed has a standard measurement. The above conc1usion supports the notion that il7~~ l1i1.l~ and nn. r7P~ did exist, and the proper meaning is "large cubits. " The first letter of ""t-t may be a prosthetic )ale!, the same as n11.\I]", "side, direction, corner, edge, width, side, space, interval" (e.g., y;,~~ l1i]m" "having four sid[es," see #29, 7:5); cf. :;;'11$ vs. yi'1, "arm" (Jer. 32:21 and Deut. 32:20, respectively).55 Thus, n11.~ l1i1.l~ = n11. l1i1.l~, the Hebrew equivalent of Targumic n11. l'7P~, "spacious/large cubits." Accordingly, ry.~,~ (n11. =) n11.~ l1i1.l~ means "forty large cubits" (cf. Pixner). The )ale! of ""t-t may be a contracted form of '1$ or ,y, "upon, over, in, at" (JA, MH). Thus, n11.~ or nn.1$ = nn. 'Y\'I$, "upon the width/interval/space," and I]"~ or 1]"1$ = 1]" '31\'1$, "to/at/by/on/along the side/edge/corner. "56 Moreover, ""t-t may be a shortened form of 1],,~\n11.~ il1~7 or 1]"I$\n11.1$ ilP7 = 1],,\n11. '31\'1$ ilP7, "a brick at the corner" cut in half not to protrude. 57 55 Prosthetic 'alef can be found in various sources. Masoretic Text: n~~,,~ 3Z;'T~~~ vs. "and witb an outstretched arm" (Jer. 32:21 and Ps. 136:12, respectively). Dead Sea Scrolls: n""l Y"TI(:1' (l1QPs· xv:14; see DJD IV, 36, x). Mishnah: ,'UI( vs. "'1, "thumb, great toe" (m. Yoma 2:1 and m. Oh. 13:1, respectively). Phoenician: 'Y:1 0"11(, "leader of troops" (KAli, 5; 2, 41 [#26, A-l)); cf. O'!~'f ''10/, "leaders of troops" (2 Sam. 4:2). According to Ben-Hayyim, the Dead Sea sectarians did not pronounce the mobile sewa' as n':11( (= n':1:1, DSH 11 :6) shows; cf. n':11( for n':1:1 of better Mishnah manuscripts. Since there is no mobile sewa' in Samaritan, -:1 is pronounced as :11( (eb). This goes back to biblical times as n,y~1( - n,y~ and yml( - ym indicate. The Tiberian 0'l'1t;i was pronounced as O'l'1t1i~ ("Traditions in the Hebrew Language, with Special 4 [1965), 205; m,c~, nnp'n O'l"~'e>n m,c~" Reference to· the Dead Sea Scrolls," "'''TM 1,e>", "~n 0' m"l~ ,e> 1,e>,n in LeSonenu 22 [1953/54), 227-28 and n. 13; also, MNM2,1249. 56 The preposition 'alef (A, MH) is an assimilated form of,3Z or ,~, "upon, above," and could mean -:1, " '31, ":1e>:1, etc. E.g., '1'11( n':11( (= '1'11( n':1 '31 o~ '1'11( n':1:1), "upon/witbin the door-stop" (t. (Eruv. 11:14). See J.N. Epstein AGrammar of Babylonian Aramaic (Heb., 1960), 132-36; MNM 2, 1258-59; also Jastrow, la (vocalizes as -~). Goldziher suggests tbat -~ is abridged from ,~, ratber than '3Z (1. Elbogen, "Bemerkungen Ignatz Goldzihers zu Lewys Neuhebräischem Wörterbuch," in J. Lewy, Wörterbuch aber die Talmudim und Midraschim [1963) 4, 749). Since the lamed is assimilated, the letter following tbe 'alef, if it is possible, should have a dages forte, or tbe pataIJ lenghtened to a qama~. 57 Ben-Yehuda (I, 390 n. 4) states tbat the origin of ""1( is unknown. n~~,,~ 3Z;'P~,

,m'l

,m'l

SR

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 1

41

m,1ot may be a variant of n1ilot (cf. 11Ioti~L1 instead of l1ilot~L1, discussed earlier). Both n110t (H, A, masc., fern., from the root n,lot, "to go, travel, lodging"), and its synonym 1':1."1 (masc., fern., from the root 1", "to go, travel"), mean "way, path" (cf. Gen. 49:17; Isa. 30:11). Both of these are usually rendered by the Targumim as n1ilot, lot~lilot, 1ot~11$ (e.g., Gen. 3:24, 18: 11). (a) Perhaps, (n1ilot =) m,1ot l1i~15 means "road cubits," a type of cubit to measure roads. Thus, 1'Y.~115 (n1ilot =) m,1ot l1i~15 could mean "forty road cubits. "58 (b) The Targum for 11~1$ :"I~15 '-:1.1. ••• :llJ"' l1i~15 'iql.7. 1?w~ is 1?w~ 1ot1l:l Kt'7p15 n1ilot ••• l'IP15 '~l.7., (Ezek. 42:4). Although, the three synonyms, 1?w~ (masc., from the root 1':"1, "to go"), 1TI, and n1ilot mean "way, path," they could imply "distance." Thus, the above verse and its Targum can be rendered as, "a distance of ten cubits ... a distance of one cubit. "59 1J''11$ (also spelled as :"I,,1ot and 1ot"Iot), Ariah, was a district in Palestine (t. Kil. 1:3). M'n~~11J''1I$, "Ariah and her settlements" were the dwellings of the twenty-fourth priestly watch of ~:"I~PZ~\:"I~PZ~, Maaziah. 60 1J''11$ resembles the Arabic toponym 'AriQa - 'Al-RiQa near the ancient city Jericho. Perhaps this name is derived from 1J''1I$, or n',1ot may be a variant of inl.;, in''1;, :"Im;, Jericho, or nT. 11'~, Beth Yera\f. Regarding Jericho, see #24,5:13; #54,11:9. n',1ot or m,1ot could be a variant of the name Arah; n11$ '~~, the sons of Arah of six hundred fifty-two or seven hundred men, retumed with Zerubbabel from Babylon (Ezra 2:5; Neh. 7: 10).61 Perhaps the Arah family 1ived in n',1ot or m,lot. The phrase 1'Y.~115 1J''11$ l1i~15 n1T~7 has an unusual word order; one would expect 1'Y.~115 l1i~15 1J''11$ n1T~7, "forty cubits toward east of Ariah." Cf. 31;115 (i:J\M~ =) lot::ll1i~15 'i!)l:l\'~!)~, instead of 31;115 l1i~15 i:J\M~ 'i!)l:l\'~!)~, or 31;1~ l1i~15 'i!)l:l\'~!)~ i:J\M~, "in it is hidden/dig four cubits (deep)" (see #11, 2: 14); and fZji'~ 11~L1\91~L111lJtll1i~~, instead of 11~L1\91~L111lJtll1i~15 fZji'~ or 11~L1\91~L1 11IJtI fZj;,~ 11;~15, "three cubits be10w the board/corpse" (see #14,3:12-13). Accordingly, Ariah is located in or near the Valley of Achor. Yet Kohut, Jastrow, and Klein identify Ariah of the Talmud with Tarichaea, south of Tiberias. If their identification is correct, then Ariah of the Scroll cannot be identical with that of the Talmud. 62 n',1ot resembles the Arabic toponym AriQa or Al-RiQa (:"In',1ot or :"In', ,Iot) 58 This is the reading and rendering of Wolters. This writer eame to this possible solution independently; see Lefkovits diss 1, 109-10. 59 This verse is rendered as: "a walk of ten eubits ... a way of one cubit" (JPSi); "there was an areaway, 10 cubits ... and a road of one eubit" (JPSii); "a passageway ten cubits in width ... a one eubit pat" (Tanach); ete. 60 SY, 8b, 28b, 162-64. Regarding the priestly watches, see #30, 7:9. 61 Two additional persons named Arah are mentioned in the Masoretic Text (l Chron. 7:39; Neh. 6:18). 62 Jastrow, 119b; AC 1, 279b; AAC, 66b; SY, 8b, 164.

42

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

near the ancient Jericho. Perhaps this name is derived from lJ''1~, or n',~ may be a variant of in 1.; , in''1;, :,.n'1;, Jericho, or n1~. 11';, bet Yeral).. Regarding Jericho, see #24, 5: 13; #54, 11 :9. Final1y, the first letter of this word is an Jalej, while the last one can be read as taw. The middle two letters, daletlres and wawlyodlzayin, may be two parts of a single character; the first being the right leg and the top, and the second the left leg of a !Jet, wh ich remained unconnected at the upper left corner. Cf. mY:J~ which has been recognized by Allegro as m~~, where the bet is the left while the cayin is the right part of a mem (see #47, 10:9);63 and a reverse situation may possibly in the word "m~~ (Allegrodr) instead of m'T~~ (Milikdr), where the hel!Jetltaw seems to be a daletlres and a wawlzayinlyod that are touching each other (see #14,3:11).64 Accordingly, m,~, 11"~, m,~, or 11"~ should be read as 11lJ~, "one" (fern.), connected with the next word ry.~l~, and it is in apposition of 11i~~ (also fern.); i.e., 11lJ~ 11i~~ ry.~l~, "forty-one cubits. "65 Obviously, instead of ry.~l~ 11lJ~, one would expect ry.~1~1 11lJ~ or 11lJ~1 ry.~l~, i.e., with the connective waw, "and." Cf. "Today (is) 'ry~ Ci' C'Y.~1~1 (forty-one days [masc.]) ... of the COmer (count)," counted on the eve of the 26 of lyyar; i::l7~~ C3!~lJl i1~W 11lJ~1 C'Y.~l~ 1:;;, "Rehoboam was forty-one (fern.) years old when he began to reign" (1 Kgs 14:21). ry.~l~ 11lJ~ is like i11.93!11lJ~ (fern.), "eleven" (8:15).66 In Hebrew unit(s) with tens, and ten(s) with hundred(s), etc., are connected with a waw, only unit(s) with teen, or unit(s) with hundred(s), etc., are not, they are in the construct state. Yet in the verse tzj,~ ~71$ C'~~t1 tzj,~ C'y.~l!i, literal1y "seventy men, fifty thousand men" (1 Sam. 6:19), the connective waw is missing." It actually means tzj,~ ~7.~ C'~~I:n tzj,~ C'Y.~l!i, "seventy men and fifty thousand men," i.e, "fifty thousand and seventy men" (see Radak and Ralbag). Cf. the possible reading of Y~l~ no/3! (= Y~1~1 no/3!) , "twenty-four" in 63 Allegro, 51, 162 n. 244. 64 Regarding, nll~~'~ ;'711~~ :1l~~nT;l nl$ ;'o/~1, "and he makes its border like a square tablet" (t. 'Eruv. 4:13 [6:10]), Lieberman notes that one manuscript has ;,~"n instead of ;,~nn, where the !Jet separated into a rd and a waw, thus creating the misreading ;,~"n; and another one has ;,'nnn instead of ;,~,nn, where the original mem separated into a Imf and a yod, then the Imfmerged with the previous waw producing ;,'nnn (The Tosefta 2, 108 and n. 63; Tosefta ki-Fshu{ah 3, 377 and n. 50; see also Zuckermandel's Tosephta, 145 and note to line 13). Similarly, Reich proposes that 1" 'l may be an error for 1,nl, the !Jet separated into a dalet and a yod ("'ltzm n'::t;, '~'::t 1,n'l;' 1">'~ ,tu ,'m"m, ,'n,tu' 1" 'l 1~:I'" in EI 19 [1987], 330-33, 83+b; see #43,9:14). 65 Regarding this item, many of the possible readings, such as n"I(, ;"'1(, n"I(, n"I(, ;"'1(, m'I(, is immateriaI, although some of them have meanings; e.g., ;".l~, "lion"; ri',~, "lions." Also cf. I(J;I'''% the Targum for ';I(~, "canaI"; e.g., Onkelos renders O'"1'I(~tl as l(~lj'"1~, "the canals" (Exod. 8:1); 0V'"J:I(~ as 1;;'lj'"1~, "their canals" (Exod. 7:19). 66 ;,,~>' nnl( is a scribal error for ;"0>, nnl(.

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43

the Seroll (see #36, 8: 13, Bakerlr , Allegrodr).67 1'Y.~1~ 111J~ must be a dialeetieal peeuliarity where the single is followed by tens without the waw. This usages oeeurs in the closely related languages. Phoenieian: 11!Z1 C!Z1~n !Z1'!Z1 (= i11~ C'!(l~r:n tzj;,~), "fifty-three years"; cf. i11~ C'Y.~l~l YWtl, "forty-nine years" (Lev. 25:8). Punic: CY:l'~ (11) 11n~:l 11!Z1 (= i11~ C'Y.~l~l 111J~~), "in the forty-first year"; 11!Z1 CY:l'~ 11!Z1!Z1:l (= i11~ C'Y.~ll:ctl tzjW~), "in the forty-sixth year"; 11!Z1 C!Z1~n 11!Z1!Z1:l (= tzjW~ i11~ C'!(l~~l), "in the fifty-sixth year"; cf. i11~ 11;~~ tzjWl 111Jl:ct~, "in the six hundred first year" (Gen. 8: 13); i11~ Y~~1 C''''!o/3l~, "in the twenty-seventh year" (Ezek. 29: 17). Neo-Punic: !Z1!Z1 1~!Z1, instead of !Z1!Z1 Cl~!Z1 (= C'~;~!P tzjWt), "eighty three. "68 Based on the above diseussion, l'Y.~l~ 111Jl:ct, a single with tens without the eonneetive waw, is a rare form, apparently unknown from any other Hebrew sourees. See also Appendix B.

mw

(1:3) v'7.~l ~9.~ is similar to phrase v'7.~ '~1111Jl:ct ~1W (see #57, 12:5). Both phrases have been analyzed as follows. ALLEGRopr: "a ehest of silver and its eontents"; "one ehest and its contents." ~'!Z1 = ~"!Z1 = ;"'!Z1, "strong box, ehest." ALLEGRO ;"'~' ~C~ 11'!Z1, "a money ehest and its contents"; ;"'~ ,~, I1n~ ~'!Z1, "one ehest and its contents." ~C~ 11'!Z1 is a money ehest rather than "a ehest made of silver." ;"'~ is from the root ,,~, "contain, " cf. Syriae and Arabie ,,~, "measure"; otherwise ,,~, "vessel, burden. "69 MILIK: ;,;,~ ,~, ~C~ 111!Z1, "a coffer (full) of money"; I1n~ ~'!Z1 ;';'~'~" "a eoffer with its contents." ;",~ = kullo (;"'~" "and its total"), the waw and he are double signs for the final 0, a better reading than ,,~, "vessels." ;"'~'~" "and its content, " from ,,~\,,~ and ,~,~, "measure, content" ; or ;",~ '~" "and all its total," repeated for emphasis. 70 LURIE: C"~' ~C~ 111!Z1, "a ehest (and in it there are) silver and vessels"; I1n~ ~'!Z1 ~C~, ;"'~ '~" "(it is hidden) one ehest, all the vessels and silver (which is in it, their value is)." In Talmudie sources ;"!Z1 is a large ehest with legs, and whieh people used to hide money. ~C~ 11'!Z1 does not mean "a silver ehest," rather a ehest containing coins and vessels, sinee it is indieated that the total weight is 17 talents. The bottom of the final letter after ,,~ is missing, it should be read as C"~, "eeremonial vessels, probably priestly garments. "71 PIXNER: "[there is] a money ehest and its contents"; "one ehest with its con67 OccasionaIly the connective waw is missing but understood in the Masoretic Text, as well as in the Copper Scroll (see #32, 7:16). 68 KAlI, 4; 2, 28 (#19:8); 1,21; 2,116-17 (#110:3-4); 1,21; 2,117 (#111:3-4); 1,21; 2, 117-118 (#112:4); 1, 24; 2, 132-133 (#128:3); respectively. Donner and Röllig do not recognize tbis usage (KAI2, 133). 69 Allegro, 33, 55, 134 n. 5, 135 n. 6; Allegro rev , 21, 26. 70 Milik, 284-85, 298, 253 C-145-146; MilikE , 139, 142. 71 Lurie, 53, 55 n. 5, 56 n. 6, 58, 123, 124.

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

44

tents" (as Allegro).72 WACHOLDER: "a ehest of silver, whose total. "73 WOLTERS: :1',:J, 90:J 111 tu , "a strongbox of silver and its vessels"; and I1ntot tot,tu :1',:1 ,:J" "one strongbox and all its vessels."74 GARCIA MARTINEZ: "(there is) a ehest of money and its total"; "a ehest and all its contents."75 BEYER: :1',:J, 90:J 111 tu , "a silver ehest and its belongings"; and :1',:J ,:J, I1ntot tot,tu, "one ehest and all its belongings." 111tu and tot,tu are Aramaism. 76 VERMES: "a box (mIed with) silver"; "a box and its contents" (as Milik).77 WISE: "a strongbox of silver and its vessels"; "one ehest and all its vessels. "78 The term ',:J oeeurs in the Seroll sixteen or eighteen times. Yet translating tot,tu as "ehest, coffer," mislead most seholars from reading the words in question as v'7~1 "and its (fern.) vessels/implements/components," and '~1 v'7~, "and all its (fern.) vessels/implements/eomponents." But what is tot1~ (= :11~ = :11'~)? The absolute singular is tot1~ as in tot1~ 111J~, "one (fern.) siddah." The construet singular is 111~ as in 99,~ 111~, "a silver siddah," i.e., a siddah made of silver or used for silver (coins). v'7~1, "and its (fern.) implements," and v'7~ '~1, "and all its (fern.) implements," are in apposition to siddah. The feminine ending Cale! instead of he), the feminine numeral 111J~, the feminine suffix taw in the construet state, the feminine plural possessive suffix of v'7~1 and v'7~ '~1, all indieate that :11~ is feminine noun. The silver :11~ with its components had a weight of 17 talents. This implies that the :11~ was made of or eovered with silver, while that of Item #57 was not. Both :11~ (sg.) and l1i'~ (pI.) oeeur only in the verse, "I (Qohelet) provided for myself male singers and female singers, and delights of the children of man, l1i'~1 :11~ (many siddot)." The Targum elaborates on this verse as, "I (Qohelet) made ... bath-houses (with) l:l~ll'~n~~ '1.itu~ tot:~ l:lWll'~n~ '~'~Il tot:~ (faueets running tepid water, and faueets running warm water)" (EeeI. 2:8). Thus, :11~ (from the Aramaie root tot,tu, "to pour, sprinkle"; see #38,9:1) is explained as "faueets running water." The Talmudim say, and ni1tz.i," here (in Babyion) one translates as 1'11'~ (demoness) and (demonesses), (while) in the West (i.e., in Palestine) they say (that 1'11~ means) 1{l)1'tz.i (chest/carriage). Rabbi Johanan said, "There were three hundred types of C,,~ (chests) in l''''~ (Shil).in), and what 1'11tz.i means, I do not know" "1'11~

1'11"!'~

72 Pixner, 342, 357. 73 The Dawn 0/ Qumran, 94. 74 "Analysis," 248, 252; Wolters, 32-33, 54-55. Regarding the renderings of and Wolters and this writer arrived to the same conclusion independently (see Lefkovitsdiss 1, 94, 120-21). 75 Garcia Martinez, 460, 463. 76 Beyer, 225, 232. 77 Vermes, 374, 378. 78 Wise, 191, 198.

;",::l ,::l"

;",::l,

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45

(b. Git. 68a). Rabbi Jeremiah in the name of Rabbi ijiyya bar Ba said, "Eighty metal ni"f!} (chests/carriages) were in l'!J'f!} (ShiiJin)." Rabbi Yannai said, "il1'f!} did not exist in Dur time" (y. Ta'an. 4:5 [21 b]). The craftsmen of Shil)in near Sepphoris were known to build l1i'~, siddot. The site l'lJ'~, Shil)in, may be the identical with l'lJ'~l$v 11'~ (see #55, 11: 12). Furthermore, the Midrash explains, "l1i'~1 ;'1~ are carriages of ;'1~ and l'T:I!~" (EccL Rabbah on 2:8). The above citations indicate that the Talmudic sages already had difficulty translating l1i'~1 ;'1~. Presumably, the similar spelling of ;'1'~ and ;'l'W (pI. l1i,'W), "demoness," like her masculine counterpart 'W (pI. c'''!W) , "demon, " increased the confusion. Rashi compares the biblical ;'1~ with the Mishnaic '1~~~ ;,~'~ ;'1'~, and explains the term ;'1'~ - 1ot1)1'~ as "a luxurious coach (;'?;)l,) for ladies and princes" (cf. the above Midrash).79 Kohut connects ;'1~ to the Arabic suddah, Sopha, Sitz ("sofa, chair"), and Greek a-elio:, ailiw;, Tragstuhl, Lehne ("carrying chair, arm chair").80 ;'1'~, usually rendered as "Iarge ehest," frequently occurs in the Talmudim. The following references may shed light on its meaning. The ;'1'~ had legs that were shorter or longer than a handbreadth (m. KeL 18:3); extended "rims" (m. KeL 12:2); "a hood" (often fastened to it, m. KeL 18:2); "a top, a bottom and walls" (m. KeL 22:8); "a rim at the bottom or a rest" (m. KeL 15:1); "a door" (t. Git. 2:11; b. Shab. 122b); "a lower door hinge" (t. 'Eruv. 11:18); "a key" (t. Git. 2:11); inside or outside "drawers" (t. KeL B.M. 8:1); and "hooks" (m. KeL 12:2). The ;'1'~ rested on or was fastened to a low cart (b. Shab. 44b) , wh ich could be pulled or pushed (m. KeL 18:2), and could be removed from it (t. KeL B.M. 8:1). People kept or hid money in their ;'1'~ (t. Ma'as. Sh. 5:11-12; b. San. 30a), as well as in the 10w cart (m. KeL 18:2). Often the ;'1'~ had a volume of 40 se)ah (= 1 by 1 by 3 cubits, m. KeL 15:1); it used to be measured either inside or outside (m. KeL 18:1). A person could be carried abroad in a ;'1'~ (t. Oh. 18:5). The water in a ;'1'~ having a hole at the bottom of a certain size and placed in the sea could be used for ritual bath (m. Miq. 6:5). In the 79 Rashi on Eccl. 2:8; b. Git. 68a; b. B.Q. 98b; b. 'Eruv. 14b; 30b, b. Shab. 44b. Onee Rashi says "a box" (b. Ket. 65a). Rashi interpret 1'l'l1~1 i11't;t as "male and female demons" (b. Git. 68a). Ibn-Ezra explains n;'~1 i11~ as "a woman and women," i.e., many women. He derives i11~ from the root "tu, "to snatch," i.e., women captured in a war, like CD1 C'lJ7?lJ,1, "a woman, two women" of the captured booty (Judg. 5:30). Many modern scholars follow Ibn-Ezra and interpret i11~ as "woman, concubine," some deriving it from Akkadian, while others amend the text to n;'0/1 i110/, "princess and prineesses" (BY 7, 6908-09 n. 1; S.L. Gordon, !fames Megillot im Be'ur !fadas, on Eccl. 2:8). 80 AC 8, 32. HecArukh (549a) translates i1,tu as lytlCI(P (= Kasten, "box").

46

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

event of fire on Sabbath, it was permissible to cover a il1'~ with a hide of a kid to protect it from buming (m. Shab. 16:5). The il1'~ used to be repaired by a carpenter (m. B.Q. 9:3; t. B.Q. 10:8; t. KeI. B.M. 8:1). Some 11'i'~ were made of wood (m. KeI. 18:2), while others of metal (t. KeI. B.M. 4: 1; y. Ta(an. 4:5 [21b]). The last two facts correspond with the assumption that 99;::1111~ is a siddah made of or covered with silver, while 11lJ~ ~1~ could be made of wood. The definite artic1e in Hebrew is the prefixed he, in Aramaic the suffixed Jalel or he (which in some dialects lost its definitiveness). Hebrew expresses what is in English indefinite artic1e in two ways: singular noun alone, or a noun is followed by "one," 'IJI$ (masc.) or 11lJ~ (fem.).81 Thus, ~q~ and 11lJ~ lq~ mean "a/one siddah," 99;::1111~ and 11lJ~ 99;::1111~ mean "a/one sil~o/' "three ver siddah." The Scroll uses both forms; e.g., 'IJI$ '~!;1 ;::1 (is) a qalal (vessel), in it (there is) one document" (see #25, 6:4-5; #52, 11: 7). Likewise, il~~ "!lt!\ 'U)IJ is the same as it were written il~~ "!lt!\'~!l1J 11lJ~, "is buried/dig one cubit (deep)" (see #20,4:13-14); 99;::1, "(a) silver," in a few places may mean 'IJI$ 99;::1, "one silver (piece/shekel)" (e.g., 8:6, 9:10); '7.:P (pI. const.), "vessels of," occasionally can be vocalized as '?:P (sg. abs. and const.), "a/one vessel (of)," (e.g., 1:9,3:8,8:3). The expression, "an object and (all of) its implements," as V'7.~1 99;::1111~, "a silver siddah and its (fern.) implements," and V'7.~ '~111lJ~ lq~, "one siddah and all of its (fern.) implements," is in Mishnaic Hebrew; e.g., v'7.~ '~1 il?~~l ... v'7.~ '~1 ilo/'!.tl~, "a plow and all of its (fern.) implements ... and a cart and all of its (fern.) implements" (m. Shevi. 5:6); "ru "an ox and its (masc.) trappings" (m. B.Q. 5:6). Biblical Hebrew, however, usually prefixed the object with the definite artic1e, plus adds the accusative 111$\11~ in front of the object and in front of "all"; e.g., llJ7~ü 111$1 V'7.~ 111$1 il')7pü 111$1 "?~ ,~ 111$1, "and the table and all its (masc.) vessels, and the Menorah and all its (fern.) vessels" (Exod. 30:27).82 il1~ is similar to but not identical with il?~~ (fern.), "cart." The Mishnah c1early distinguishes the two terms. 83 Based on Rashi and the Midrash, il1'~ can be rendered as "a carrying chair" used for transporting princes, ladies,

'?R

"?n

81 In English, as in many Indo-European languages, indefinite article is used for singular nouns, while definite article for both singular and plural nouns; e.g., "a house" - "the house" vs. "houses" - "the houses." The indefinite article "a, an" actually means "one"; cf. ein, eine in German means both "a, an" and "one." So in Hungarian, egy means both "a, an" and "one." Some languages have no articles at all; e.g., Latin mare means "a/the sea," urbis, "althe city"; Russian ,u;OM (dom) means "althe house," CTOJI (stol), "althe table." 82 And so its Targum, ~N~ n~1 ~1)'~~ n~1 'iJ'l~ 'f n~1 ~,,~ n~1 (TO; cf. PsI and TN). 83 "He who enters the land of the nations in a n,'tU, in a chest, or in a tower-like-chest, remains (ritually) clean; in a wagon, in a n?~y, (c~), or in a ship, or in a raft, becomes defiled" (t. Oh. 18:5). The rational for this Halakhah being that the first three objects are cIosed, while the remainder are open.

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nobles, rather than "a large box." Therefore, there is no need to amend il"~ to C"~ (Lurie), to separate the phrase in the middle (Lurie), or read it as kullo (Allegro and Milik), kol or kalkalehah (Milik). 0'7~1 9~~ 111~ means, "a silver carrying chair with its implements," and 0'7:;) '~111lJ15 Nl~, "one carrying chair with all of its implements." This interpretation is similar to the alternate reading of 1"'~1511'~?:t Y~1. '?~, "dedicated vessels consisting of lagenos and a carrying chair" (1:9; see Appendix D). Finally, Brand suggests that the metal siddot of Shil)in, which later disappeared (see the above Talmud citations), were used to form large vessels. 84 If true, this might suggest that the siddot mentioned in the Scroll were used to make large Temple vessels. (1:4) (i11.o/3l y~t;J =) i11.o/Y,~t;J l'''1~:;> 'i?t;J~, "a weight of seventeen talents" ,~t;J~ (abs.), "weight," 'i?t;J~ (const.), "weight of," is from the root ,Pq?, "to weigh. "85 Cf. :lOt ,~:;> i1?~t;J~\ "and its (fern.) weight (was) one talent of gold" (2 Sam. 12:30); also, (A wife is obligated to produce for her husband) C'y'?C rz)~ry 'j?~~ (a weight of five selal'I li~~i?1 (and cinnamon [a weight ot] nine [minas]) (baraita, b. Ker. 6a; y. Yoma 4:5 [41a]).9o in the first item, :"I1.o/>,'~o/ 1"f:;l 'i?o/1,l, "a weight of seventeen talents," and in the last item that describes hidden treasures, 1"f:;l 'i?o/1,l '~;:1 1'!93l n~ 71, "the total weight of 71 talents and twenty minas" (see #59, 12: 9).91 In the other items where some kind of weight is mentioned, 'Ro/1,l is implied, as often in the Masoretic Text and in the Talmudim. Wilmot suggests that the Scroll refers to actual weight of talents only in the two items where 'i'tQ~ occurs. In the rest of the cases where talents are indicated alone, they are coins of much lesser weight. Likewise, in the Delos temple inventory occasionally the Greek holke, "weight," was applied where it is indicated as such. This was not recognized by the Milik and Allegro. Wilmot claims that similar usage existed in the late Phoenician and early Rabbinic Hebrew texts, but does not offer any references. 92 As discussed above, where in the Masoretic Text 'Ro/1,l is understood but not written, often the Targumim add the ward 'j?J;1~. This observation may support Wilmot's suggestion, since it could indicate that the Targumists found it necessary to point out that their vernacular distinguishes between weight and denomination of money. However, 'f:;l cannot be a coin; it would be to heavy to carry a coin weighing more than 20 kg. Rather, the total sum of coins would be measured in talents.

'Ro/1,l appears

89 See Rashi and Siftei f:lakhamim. The Sifri explains that the pan was made of gold, but its weight was measured in silver (shekel). See also Malbim; S.B. Scheftel, Be'urei Onkelos (1888/89), 181-82. 90 Regarding the English rendering of these spices, see P. Birnbaum, Daily Prayer Book (1949),31-32. 91 The very last item (#60) teils only where a copy of the Scroll with additional information is located, not treasure per se. 92 "The Copper Scroll of Qumran (3QI5) and the Greco-Roman Temple Inventories," 11-13; M.O. Wise, "The Copper SerolI: The Unfolding of Ancient History," Parabola 19 (1994), 49b-50b; "David J. Wilmot and the Copper SerolI. "

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 1

49

Concerning l''1~:;>, the drawings differ. BAKERdr : bet/kaf, a ligature of a kaf and yod, and a final nun (there is no reS). MILlK.dr: bet/kaf, kaf, ligature of a small res and yod. ALLEGRodr: l"~~, the res is in an angular position; the yod is on the cut, as noted by Allegro. 93 It should be added that only Allegro's drawing indicates where the rolls were sliced longitudinal at the opening process, as weIl as the numerous cracks of the Scroll. Many of these cut through characters, and many letters or part of them are on the cut. Therefore, one can claim that Allegro's drawing is superior to those of Baker and Milik at certain critical points (see "The Drawings" in the Discussion). Regarding l"~:;>, the plural of '~:;>, "talent," see Appendix A; for i1!.fpy,~tp, Appendix B. (I :4) KEN - This the first of seven sets of Greek (some may be Latin) letters in the Scroll; all of these are discussed in Appendix C. 93 Allegro, 135 n. 8.

ITEM 2 mnitiy 'iti"itiil 1:1'l:l iti!)l:l 100:lilT

1:5 1:6a

1:5 In the tomb, in the third 1:6a grave stone, (there are) 100 masses of unused gold. COMMENTARY (1:5) 'W'7!flü 1~1~~\1~1~~ tzj~~~\tzj~~~, "In/at/by althe tomb, in/at/by the third gravestone/stone row" - After the first seven letters the drawings differ. BAKERdr: A 'dashed' almost semicirc1e like fragment, dalet/reS he/~et/­ taw, followed by aspace for two-three letters. MILIKdr: bet/ka/, a dashed waw/yod, a letter resembling dalet/reSlfinal ka/, aspace, followed by '1Zl'lZln of which the first sin is made of dotted lines, and the bottom leg of the lamed is absent. These eight letters are encirc1ed with a dotted line. ALLEGRodr: There is a yod between the lamed and a smaller sized sin. All letters are readable, no word or part of it is encirc1ed. This phrase has been analyzed as folIows. ALLEGRopr: "In the sepu1chre, in the third course of bricks." ALLEGRO: '1Zl"lZln 1:11l:1 lZl!ll:1, "In the sepu1chral monument, in the third course of stones."1 MILIK: 'lb?rlm :1:li p lZl!ll:1, "In the funeral monument of Ben Rabbah of (Ber) Shalisha" (no Ber in the French translation); the text in italics is "extremely uncertain." Rabbah, "the Great," is a known name from Talmudic sources. The biblical nlZl"1Zl '31:1 was called nlZl"1Zl 11':1 in the Roman period, it is probably Khirbet Sirisiah, 22 km north of Lydda. Altemately, '1Zl131n "::J1 p lZl!ll:l (no translation).2 LURIE follows Allegro, and suggests that this tomb was located in ~:l"n:l ,,::l31 i'~31:lIZl. Lurie discusses lZl!ll in the Talmudic literature, as well as the Benei I;Iazir funeral inscription from the Second Temple era. 3 WOLTERS (reads as Milik): "In the sepu1chre of Ben Rabbah the Third."4 BEYER: lZl!ll:l ,lbono:l1 p, "In the sepu1cher of D[ ... ]."s VERMES: "In the tomb of ... the 1 Allegro, 33; Allegrorev , 21. 2 Milik, 284-85; 258-59 C-207; 269 D-34; MilikE, 139, 144-45. Regarding the name Rabbah, cf. the Amoraim, Rabbah bar Avuha', Rabbah bar Huna, Rabbah bar l:Ianah, Rabbah bar bar l:Ianah, Rabbah bar Nal)mani. 3 Lurie, 60-61 and DD. 1-2. 4 Wolters, 32-33.

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51

third. "6 PIXNER, GARCIA MARTINEZ, and WISE agree with Allegro. 7 Milik reads the seventh and ninth characters as ares and a he, while Allegro as a dalet and a final kaf Milik notes that the ninth letter "is certainly not a final kaf"8 This c1early indicates that he was aware of Allegro's reading. The common Semitic lO!)l, "soul, life, desire, rest," also means "tornb" in Mishnaic Hebrew, Aramaie, Syriac, Palmyrene, Nabatean, Arabic, South Arabian, and Neo-Punic. 9 The verbal form of lO!)l (Niral) in Biblical Hebrew means "to rest." 10 In several biblical verses Habermann interprets !V~~ as "memorial edifice, grave marking, or representation in honor of the dead."11 He would ren der the verse nlJ=;! ,fUY. 'W~ !V~~0 n~1 as, "and the memorial (of the patriarchs) wh ich (Abram and Sarai) made in Haran" (Gen. 12:5).12 According to Rappaport, !V~~, "grave," is a "remnant of the holy tongue spoken in the days of the prophets." Likewise, !V~~ in the Bible could mean a "dead body. "13 !V~~, "tornb, " is stemming from both forms, the nominal "soul" and the verbal "to rest. "14 Mandelkern and BDB derive the verbal form of lO!)l, "to rest," from the nominal "soul. "15 Mazar suggests, "The concept lO!)l, l-t1O!)l underwent several stages of development: the soul of the dead; the symbol of the soul of the dead; a marker or ste1a on the tomb of the dead; the tomb itself; the mausoleum." 16 Occasionally lO!)l in Ugaritic is rendered as "grave (chamber)."17 Yet Pope 5 Beyer, 225. 6 Vermes, 374. 7 Pixner, 342 and n. 4; Garcia Martinez, 461; Wise, 191. 8 Milik, 284; MilikE , 144. 9 BDB, 659-61; Jastrow, 926-27; He 'Arukh, 363a; AC 5, 368-70; E. Löw, "3V!ll" in AAC, 283a; BY 5, 3734-51; ESh dic 4, 1703-06; CTL, 69-73; KAli, 25; 2, 133, 136 (#128:3; #136: 1 [V!lKl, with an 'alej]). 10 !V!ltl, "and he shall rest" (Exod 23:12); !V!lr1, hand he rested" (2 Sam. 16:14); !V!;lt1, "and he rested " (Exod. 31: 17). 11 A.M. Habermann, "Tomb of Rachel and the term V!ll" in Tarbiz 25 (1956), 363-68, i-ii. 12 This contradicts the various traditional translations, "and the souls (or servants, people, converts, spiritual gifts) that they made (or had gotten, gathered, acquired) in Haran" (cf. The Living Torah, 57). 13 E.g., "and one who touches anything !V!1~ l(~f:) (defiled by a corpse)" (Lev. 22:4); "If !V!1~ l(~t;I (la person] defiled by a corpse) touches any of these, shall it be unclean'?" (Hag. 2:13). Onkelos and Targum Haggai renders l(o/!l~ ~l?; and in both pi aces Rashi defines it as one who is defiled by touching a dead body. Also, !V!1~ l(~t;I (consL), !V!1~? l(~l? (abs., Num. 5:2, 9:10), and l(o/!l~ l(~l? (JA) are synonymous with n~ l(~t;I, hdefiled by a corpse" (MH; e.g., m. Kel. 1 :1). 14 S.J.L. Rappaport (known by his acronym as Shir), Gat 'Ed (1856), ix-x. This is quoted by Habermann. 15 MK 1, 757c; BDB, 661 b. 16 Beth She'arim 1, 198,208.

52

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

says, "The association of !U!)) with burial is apparently a late development. While there are uses of !U!)) wh ich seem to confuse it with grave itself, there are those that make explicit distinction between the tomb and the !U!)) as monument stela or image commemorating or representing the deceased. "18 According to Kutscher, !U!)) (MH, "tornbstone") is an Aramaic loanword. 19 The Talmud refers to various types of 1'1iV~~ (pI. of V~~., fern.). Regular V~~, a four-sided construction (t. CEruv. 6[5]:4); :1~i~~~ V~~, a bridge type of building having two open sides (t. CEruv. 6[5]:5); :11i~"1$ V~~, "c1osed nefd", i.e., tombstone (m. Oh. 7:1; m. cEruv. 5:1). Some 1'1iV~~ were four by four cubits (t. CEruv. 6[5]:4), some had i11''11'1':;!, a "living quarter" for a watchman (m. CEruv. 6:1; t. CEruv. 6[5]:4; see #56, 11:16). In the era of Talmud Jews frorr. Palestine and the Diaspora used a huge underground burial site in Beth She carim. 20 Inscriptions in several languages were found there. Among those in Hebrew, '~i?, CiP1i, and V~~ are synonyms; one reads :1:~IJ'~ V~~ (plene), "Tomb of Nehemiah" (No. 91). Those in Palmyreans, !U!)) occurs four times. 21 17 Ginsberg translates the Ugaritic il1l1l::1 " , 1'110' illUD1::1 11~ l5'i" into Hebrew as, " , '110" "',,n::1 11~ 90N" (i.e., "Mot shall gather in his [dead] chamber, Yedad shall be hidden in his [burial] cave"), and notes that IUD1 meaning ,::1i' is common in Hebrew and Aramaic (The Ugaritic Texts [Heb., 1936], 40-41 [= UT 51 :vii:47-49]; and bnps bn ilm mt bmh mn ydd il gzr as, "From the tomb of Godly Mot, from the pit of El's Belov'd Ghazir" (ANET2-3, 135a, 138b [= UT 67:i:7-8]). See M.D. Cassuto, "Death ofBaal," Tarbiz 12 (1941), 41; "Death of Baal," JEJ 12 (1962), 81; UT, 446 [#1681]; WUS, 135-36 [#1238], 211-12 [#1826]; M. Held, "Pits and Pitfalls in Akkadian and Biblical Hebrew," JANES 5 (1973), 173-90. 18 M.H. Pope: "A Little Soul-Searching," Maarav 1 (1978),25-31. Brand mentions the Ugaritic usage of IUD1; he relies on Ginsberg's explanation (CTL, 69-73). 19 In the Kaufmann Mishnah Manuscript IUD1, "tornbstone, " is vocalized as W~~ (m. Sheq. 2:5), and as W~l, (m. Oh. 7:1). The forrns of W~~ and W~~ are known in the Yemenite tradition. Like the Babylonian vocalization, the Yemenites do not distinguish between pata~ and segol, but they do between qama~ and pataf}. Thus, the forrns of !UD1 in the Kaufmann MS are essentially identical with those of the Yemenites. Kutscher states: (I) Originally the Mishnaic IUD1, "tornbstone, " was pronounced like the Aramaic W~~. (2) The vocalizer of the Kaufmann MS was a Sepharadi, since he did not distinguish between pata~ and qama~. (3) The vocalization of W~~ is a Hebraism ("Trivia, " Archive (in Heb.), I [I 972], 99, Eng. Sumo xxxi). Kara says 'that in the Yemenite tradition the "!;li? form practically disappeared, and only the "I?i? form survived ("The Vocalization of IUD1 [Monument over a Grave] in the Yemenite Tradition" [in Heb.], Archive 1 [1972], 115-16, Eng. Sumo xxxiv). 20 Mazar suggests that Beth She'arim, "House of the Gates," originally might have been Beth Sha'arayim, "House of Double Gates," cf. Sha'arayim (Josh 15:36). In the Talmud 11'::1 C"Y!U also called (J)"'IU 11'::1, which may indicate that in the local dialect the 'ayin was not pronounced. In the Greek Besara for Beth She'arim the taw assimilated into the next sin; cf. IUD1::1 for IUD1 11'::1 (Beth She'arim I, 1-2, 197-98). Cf. the possible dual vocalization of 11'::1 l'n1tt?Nil -l"11tt?Nil11'::1, see #55, 11 :12. 21 '110N tt?D1, "Tomb of Esther" (No. 126); ln11Y' tt?D1m tt?D1m (= tt?D1 Nm tt?D1 Nm ln11Y'), "And 0 tomb, and 0 tomb of Atan" (No. 132); NWN ~m Ntt?D1::1, "Tomb of !,'m'Y~::1

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53

The Peshitta renders the seven pyramids of the tomb of the Hashmonean fami1y in Modi'in as l!Z1!)l Y:J!Z1 (= l~~~ Y;~1), "seven tombs" (1 Macc. 12:38). l!Z1!)l (= l~~~) is the plural of l(!Z1!)l\!Z1!)l (= l(~~~\ti~~), "tornb. " Several famous 1'1iti~~ are mentioned in the Talmud; e.g., 1'i?'''!'t;l1 ;,~~~, "the tomb of Soriqon" (y. 'Eruv. 5:1 [26b]; TA); '~il~1l(~~~, "the tomb of Pante" (y. Dem. 2: 1 [6b]; TA).22 The sages of the Talmud had various views regarding erecting 1'1iti~~ for living or deceased persons. Rabbi Nathan says: "From the remains of the (collected funeral expense fund) of a deceased, one (must) build a tz.i!)J. upon his '~i? (grave)" (m. Sheq. 2:5; t. Sheq. 1:12; b. San. 48a; cf. y. Sheq. 2:5 [9a]). It was taught (in a baraita), Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel says: "One does not build nitz.i~~ for righteous men; their words, those are their niJi'~! (monuments)" (y. Sheq. 2:5 19b]). (lt) a tz.i!)l is built for a Iiving person, it is permissible to benefit from it. (But if one) ,~~ Ci~'1 i:J ~'Cii1 (adds in it one dimos) for a deceased person, it is forbidden to benefit from it (b. San. 48a). Rashi says that ti~~ is a structure erected upon a grave, while Oi~''1 is a l~ll. Thus, O~~''1\Oi~''1 (from the Greek-Latin domus) , 1~1~ (masc., BA, JA, MH; pI. 1':;J~1~, 1'1i:J~1~), "Iarge stone, row of stones, " and ,~~, "row of stones," are synonyms. 23 The (Arukh explains that ti~~ (MH), like p~~ (BH), is something built upon a '~i?.24 The Talmud mentions that four men had to carry a 1~1~ (m. Oh. 6:1; cf. t. Oh. 7:1), and a 1~1~ used for construction was four handbreadths high" (m. Oh. 14:1; t. Oh. 14:8). Presumably, Oi~''1 Thuma (daughter 01) Amase" (No. 12); .... , ~J1 ~!U!ll 11:1, "This tomb of ... " (No. 86). ~!U!ll:l is contracted of ~!U!ll 11:J, the same as ~~!l~ 11'::1 (= !U!l~jJ 11'::1 in Hebrew), "house of the soul (or dead)" (Bl'th She'arim I, 106, 126, 198, 204, 206-07). Cf. ':11:1 - ':11':1 for 11':1 ':11, "House ofthe Rabbi" (e.g., b. Hul. 137a). Regarding ,:lP, see #14,3:11. 22 Perhaps it should read lip',i0l- Moreover, these may be place names; cf. AC 5, 370. 23 Milik's drawing can be read as 1':I'l, where the waw may represent a Tiberian long qamas; cf. 11~':I:1 instead of 11i~f0 (see #1, 1:2). Both the singular and plural lf'l occurs in the Aramaic verse, I11tl >'1$ '1 lf1l' ~J;1711 '7" 1:l1< '1 l':lf'l, "three rows of untrimrned stone, and a row of new timber" (Ezra 6:4). The Septuagint renders 1:11< 'W lf'J as 06/-10 n~lt). According to Rashi, lW 11t?'3l means "a mass of ivory," l1ivy, 'rr~, "iron masses" (Ezek. 27:19),50 and 'n~ 't?' l1i~~~)l" "iron masses" (b. 'A.Z. 16a), and compares them with the phrase ~no/3! u1?o/, "they became fat and heavy" (Jer. 5:28).51 11t?'3l, l1iVy" and ~l1rpY" can be derived from the root I1VY, while 11'~~31, the singular of l1i~~~)Z" from the root VVy, both mean "to be smooth, shine," and they are variants or synonyms (VVY - I1VY, sintaw interchange ).52 48 Lurie (59 n. 3) mentions the last !Wo citations. 49 Also quoted in y. Yoma 3:5 [14b), and b. Yoma 34b with minor changes. Rabbenu Bananel quotes the Palestinian Talmud as 'tu mntu)/. See also BY 6, 4760a n. 2. 50 This is cited by Lurie (59 n. 3). Rid says no/lr. is a noun, n;tUl! is an adjective, as ,;,~, "talI, great" (in Ezek. 46:19). 51 By explaining these terms, Rashi employs the Old-French word r'tu~, tu'~ (masiz, mases) , "mass" (ntu)/, Songs 5:14; mtu)/, Ezek. 27:19; m'tutul/, b. Shab. 154b; b. Yoma 34b; b. 'A.Z. 16a). See HR 3, 260b (old pagination); Greenberg, 154, 216; Catane, 32a, 46b, 118b; Gukovitzki, 70. 52 These terms have been analyzed as folIows. Levy: ntul/, Geschmiedtes, besser Metallplatte, Klumpen ("forged, better sheet metal, clump"; Wörterbuch aber die Talmudim und Midraschim [1883], 3, 312). Jastrow: ntul/, "wrought metal, bar, polished block";

'T'J

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

62

The usage of the term rw?31. in the Scroll seem to refer to a certain apparently unknown weight. The Talmud discussing the making of the menorah says:

~~! il~~ i'1~'~ ,'~:;l il~~ ~~! il~~ - il?~~ C'7~tI ,~ n~ i'1J;ilot ilfq31,: ,iill? ~~! ,~~ il~~ i'1~'~ ,'~:;l il~~ ~~! il~~ - ~N il~i?~ il")iJlptl ilfP.3l,~ ilp ••• '~:;l il~~ i'1~'~ ,~~ il~~ i'1t~ ~~!

(Scripture says,) "One talent of pure gold shall he (i.e., Bezalel) make it (i.e., menorah), with all these implements" (Exod. 25:39) - (If) it came from gold (then) it was made of one talent, (if) it did not come from gold (then) it was not made of one talents ... (Scripture says,) "and this is the workmanship of the menorah, beaten out gold" (Num. 10:2) - (If) it came from gold (then) it was made of one talent, (if) it did not come from gold (then) it was not made of one talents (baraita, b. Men. 28a). Rashi says that the term

i1~i?~

means " beaten , "53," and the phrase

;'~i?~

,t,J 'lu n'lUlUY, "wrought iron, bar, ball."

n'lUlUY, "glass ball, crystal, retlector, lantern"; n'lUlUY is related to lUluY, "to be strong," and to

lUlu~, "to glitter, be polished, to be thick" (from the root lu~, "fire"), also lUlu~, "a crystal or a ball retlecting the light, reflector." The Aramaic lUlUyn~ ("to exercise one's strength"), Itpa'el of lUluY ("to be strong"), could be only a variant reading (Jastrow, 130b-31a, 1127b-28a). Kohut: nlUY is the same as n'lUlUY (from n'nlUY), klumpen ("c1ump"), Eisenklumpen ("iron c1ump"; AC 6, 280a-81b). BenYehuda (6, 4760a-61b): nlUY may be from the root lUluY, the same as lUlu~, an 'ayin-'alejinterchange. Gordon says that W nWl1 is a block of white glowing ivory. nWl1 is from the infinitive n'tUi!, "being thick," like ~no/i!, "they became thick;" and nitUi! '!'l~' means "smooth iron blocks"; cf. Rashi and Ibn-Ezra (Hames Megillot im Bi'ur ljadas, "Commentary" and "Notes" on Songs 5:14, p. 50). A second root of nlUY means "to think"; nWll1)', "he will give a thought" (Jonah 1 :6); n'l!ill" "he thought" (Dan. 6:4; BA); nino/ll, "thought" (Job 12:5); nilino/)1, "thoughts" (Ps. 146:4). Kasowski and Kosovsky: nlUY (from lUluY) is a "lump, solid, thick mass of metaI, " and n'lUlUy ii is a "thick mass of metaI" (C. Kasowski, Osar Leson hatTalmud 30, 1253a; B. Kosovsky, O~ar Leson hatTannaim, Sifri 4, 1534c). Brand: nlUY (MH), "raw, unspecified, and unworked material," same as mlUY (BH), pI. m'lUlUY; its antonym is m~t:l"l, "broken vessels" (CTl., 298). There are some difficulty with this suggestion, nl'l!io/ll, is the plural of n'l!io/ll" while nino/ll is the plural of n~)1. Even-Shoshan: nl!il1, "bar (of metal) , mass, a piece of solid material," "solid lump"; n'tUtUll, "bar (of ~etal), a mass of metal or other material"; nitUll, "solid" (EShdic 5, 2015a, nlUYill~, and 2020; -ESh con 3, 1725b, 1735b). Bendavid (2, 470 n. 00): nlUY: mlUY n'lUlUY may originate from the Akkadian istin, "one"; cf. '~o/ll, "one," in '~3? '~0/l1 (masc.) and il',i!')1 '~o/ll (fern.), "eleven" (BH, e.g., Num. 7:72; Exod. 26:7). Thus, n~)1 means "oneness, one unit, a mass." Mandelkern (2, 935d): Jerome probably read n~)1 as miU3? (from the root iliUy, "to make, do"), "weil worked out material." Levine: n~)1 may originate from the root iliUy, a &in-sin interchange (personal communication with B.A. Levine). In addition, the phrase 'r1~ niiUll,?, "to make iron" (b. Shab. 130a; b. Yev. 14a; b. I:ful. 116a; cf. Rashi) , is proposed 'by Kas~wski to vocalize as 'n~ nitUll,?, with a sin, i.e., "to harden iron," a denominative form of n~)1 (Otzar Leshon hatTalmud 30, 1253a). 53 Rashi uses the Old-French term l'"t:lJ, batedif (battu in modern French), "beaten" (Exod. 25:18,31; Num. 8:4). See Herczeg, Exodus, 328 and n. 4, 336; Numbers, 89 and n. 5; HR 3, 679; Greenberg, 38, 55; Gukovitzki, 135, 143.

,t'J,

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il1il7pLl ili({)!'t1, "beaten out shall be made the menorah," means it should come from one piece (Exod. 25:31). Rashi adds a Midrash, God said to Moses, "Throw 'f:;lLl 111$ (the talent [of gold]) into the fire, and it (the menorah) will be made by itself." Since ~V! il~i?1,l, "beaten out gold," was ~V! ':;,l:;l, "one talent of gold," and ~V! il~i?1,l is a synonym of ~V! 11~3l, therefore if follows that ~V! 11~3l, "one gold mass/bar" must weigh ~V! '~:;l, "one talent of gold." Based on the aforementioned discussion one may conclude the following suggestions. (1)

(2)

(3) (4)

(5)

(6)

11i1'lo/3l followed by a number may indicate that 11~3l had a certain weight, although C'7;l, "vessels," are also mentioned in the Scroll without noting their weight. 11~3l and 11'~~Y., both mean, "mass, bar" of unused material, and are related or are variants of the same term. il~R, "hard (material)," and il~i??,l, "beaten out (material)," are related or are variants of the same term. 11~3l, 11'~~Y., il~R, and il~i??,l, are synonyms. The basic meaning of these terms is mass, bar, solid (unused) matter, such as gold, silver, iron, ivory. The (standard) weight of a gold 11~3l, 11'~~Y., il~R, and il~i??,l seems to be ~V! '~:;l, "one gold talent." Perhaps the same is true regarding other materials. Probably the best interpretation of ~V! 11i1'lo/3l is "bars/masses of unused gold (talents)." ~V!

ITEM 3

'ln:lW "'li1 ,,:l:l ~',n:l ~U10 'Yi"i' ~":l l"~O'~i1 n~~ ywn l"~~ l"'Yi1 nn~i1 'll

1:6b 1:7 1:8

1:6b In the great eistern which is in the Court of the Peristyle, at the side of its bottom concealed in the circular-wall, 1:8 opposite to the upper entrance, (there are) nine hundred (unspecified) talents.

1:7

COMMENTARY (1:6) 1;'~9",!~ij '~r:J~W ';'~ij ';::1~\';:1~, "In the great pit/cistern which is in the Court of the Peristyle" - cf. ~:lW~ 'W~ ';'~ij ,;::1 ,~ X:1~1, "and he came to the great cistern which is in Secu" (1 Sam. 19:22). Six items start with the word ';::1~\';:1~, "in/at/by althe pit/cistern (of)" (1:6, 2:1, 2:7, 2:10, 4:1, 10:3), and once ,;::1 appears in the middle of an item (2:6). ,;::1 (pi. 11;';::1)1 means "pit" (Gen. 37:24); "pit, cistern" (Exod. 21 :33); "cistern, weH" (1 Chron. 11:18); "dungeon" (Exod. 12:29); and "grave" (Ezek. 32:23). ,;::1 Mishnaic Hebrew also connotes a mikve, i.e., "ritual bath; e.g., ,;::1ij '~lJ~W, "the cisternlmikve which in the courtyard" (m. Miq. 3:2). ,;::1 in Biblical Hebrew is masculine, but in Mishnaic Hebrew is used also as feminine; e.g., 11;';:1 '.tnp,? 11;1'1'~ 'J.:11p ,l1lJ~ ';:17 11;1'1'~ 'J.:11p ,11;';:1 'J.:11p'? I1lJ~ m, "one vat for two cisterns, two vats for one cistern, two vats for two cisterns" (t. Ter. 3:7).2 ,,:1 appears in the Mesha inscription, :1'11':1:1 ,:1 ... llot ,:1, (= ;11':;P ,;::1 ... l~~ ';:1~), "and there was no cistern ... a cistern in his house" (KAlI, 33; 2, 168-69 [#181 :24-25]). In Neo-Punic (with Latin leUers) both BVR (= ":1) and BYR (= ":1) mean "shaft tomb. "3 1 nil(l'i! and ni'Ti! also occur in Mishanic Hehrew (e.g., m. 'Eruv. 2:1; y. 'Eruv. 2:1 [llh)). Perhaps these plurals are derived from the Aramaic "i!, "pit, weil," or from "~ (qeri, Jer. 6:7, ahapax legomenon; the same as '~~, see Rashi, Rid, Radak, Me~udat David, Me~udat Zion, Malhirn; the ketiv is ,i:1), "weil, cistem, pit." However, n;l(l'i! and ni'Ti! may he variants of ni'~~, the plural of ,~~ (fern., BH, MH), "weil, pit" (a synonym of ,i:1), rather than ni,i:1; ~f. 1(; ni,i:17 (VJ ni"~~7 -) 1~ niI(1'i!7, "for the wells yes, for the ci sterns no" (b. 'Eruv. ISa). See also #17,4:6. 2 Also see, M. Avi-Yonah, ",i:1" in EB 2,41-43; and [Editors], "Wells," Ei - Year Book 1973,350.

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65

The Mishnah says that the Temple of Jerusalern had two eisterns loeated within the Sanetuary, and a weIl outside of it. One is permitted to draw water from i1?i1I~ ,il (the Cistern [of the Pilgrims] of the Diaspora) and from 'i'~~ ,il (the Great Cistern) with a wheel on Sabbath, but from ,~~ ,~~ (the Gushing/Cold Weil) only on festivals" (m. 'Eruv. 10:14).

Milik and Allegro raise the possibility that the "Great Cistern" in the Seroll might be identieal with the one loeated in the Temple, but Lurie disagrees. 4 Probably, 'i'~L1 'iJ, is not a geographieal name. 5 The phrase i1~~~ IJ'~ 'iJ, a group of underground eavities, is common in Mishnaie Hebrew; e.g., l'~'y.~~ l'~''1Q i1~~~ IJ'~ ,iJ '~inL1, "he who digs a rounded pit (of ten handbreadths deep), a lengthy narrow diteh, and a square shaped covered eavity with an opening, an open large eavity, and a eavity having wide opening and of narrow bottom" (m. B.Q. 5:5).6 On the other hand, the seven eases of "J in the Seroll ean also be read as: (1) '~:l\'i:l (with a ka/), "furnaee, smelter." The latter oeeurs in the alternate reading of n~:l0 '~rp l'~ = C''1~:l0 '~rp l'~, "between the two furnaees" (see #17, 4:6). Aecordingly, 'i'~0 'i::J~ means, "In the large furnaee/smelter." And (2) 1~:l\1i:l (if the rd is read as a short-legged final ka/), "burial niehe. " Thus, 'i'~0 1~::J~'1i::J~ or 'i'~0 1~:l~\1i:l~ means, "In the large burial niehe. " Regarding 1'::J, see #8, 2:6; #59, 12:8. '~lJ oeeurs in line 2:5, as well as in the possible restorations of ö[ ... 'I]nJ (see #12, 3:1) and 11['~'~~0 '~lJ~] (see #50, 10:17). It has two meanings, '~lJi, pI. l1i'~Q, "enclosure, eourtyard" (cf. Aramaie ~1f?~n, Arabie J:zrr) , and '~lJii, pI. C''1~Q, "village, settlement" (cf. Arabie J:z!-r, "be present, dweIl"); both may originate from the same proto-Semitie root. '~lJ is a double gender noun; e.g., l1'l,n~D '~IJV (fern.) vs. '~'~~D '~IJV (mase.), "the inner courtyard" (Ezek. 44:21,27 and 40:32, 43:5, respeetively). 7 In several compound toponyms the first element is '~Q, "Courtyard of" or "Village of"; e.g., '115 '~Q, Hazar-addar or "Courtyard/Village of Greatness (?)" in 3 See Ch.R. Krahmalkov, "A Neo-Punic Shaft Tomb Inscription from Roman Tripolitana," Michigan Oriental Studies in Honor 0/ George G. Cameron (1976), 58-60. 4 Milik, 243; Allegro, 136 n. 12, 169 n. 304; Lurie, 60. 5 Cf. "Rabbi Meir said, '11 happened that someone fell into 7;';0 ,;:\ (the great cistem) and survived after three days'" (m. Yev. 16:4; L Yev. 4:6). Regarding ,;:\ as the first element of a compound toponym, see #6, 2: 1. 6 The translation follows Rashi's definitions which are based on the Talmud. Four of these terms appear in the SerolI, while ,~;n (Qal acL part. sg. masc. of ,~n, "to dig") can be compared to ,;~~m~1/ (2: 14, etc.), and n;,'~~\ni'~~~ (9:2). 7 Cf. Rashi on Exod. 32:9 (also, BDB, 346b-47a; BY 3, 1713b-15a and n. 1; SB, 264). See H.M. Orlinsky, "l:fa~er in the Old Testament," lAOS 59 (1939), 22-37; and S.E. Loewenstamm, "C"ln ,'ln" in EB 3,273-74.

66

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

Southern Palestine (Num. 34:4); i11~ ,~O, Hazar-gaddah or "Courtyard/Village of Luck" in Southern Judah (Josh. 15:27); 11'y' ,~O, Hazar-enan or "CourtyardlVillage of (the) Spring" in northeast Palestine (Num. 34:9-10; Ezek. 48:1), same as lil'Y. ,~O' Hazar-enon (Ezek. 47:17); etc. 8 In Talmudic legal terminology ';'0 ineludes houses, cisterns, pits, and caves of the premises;9 it may also indicate private property.IO 'Eruvin, the second tractate of the order Mo(ed, has Mishnah, Tosephta, Palestinian Talmud, and Babylonian Talmud. It deals among other issues with designing an (eruv ("mixing, partnership, " from the root :J'Y, "to mix") to permit carrying certain objects on Sabbath between a house, a courtyard, and an alley. Many Halakhic rulings shed light on the nature of the Palestinian dwelling system du ring the Tannaic era. The following also demonstrates the elose relationship between Mishnaic Hebrew and Copper Scroll Hebrew. The entrance to an alley ('~:J~; cf. ~:J7?:;1, 11: 16) was from the main roadway. There were two types of alleys; open on opposite sides (like a short street), and open on one side only (like a dead-end street). The entrance of the latter had two pillars supporting a crossbar. If this bar was at a level greater than twenty cubits high above the ground (i1~!5 C'''!ip3!.~ i1?Y,~7 [Ii:J~, m. 'Eruv. 1:1; cf. Yj21j20 1~ rl:J~, 1:14; N?Y,~7~, 10:2; Y~I!511"'!ip3!. 11i1.O!5, 8:12-13), it had to be lowered to serve as an (eruv. Unless the entrance had a shape of a gate (ntl~; cf. ntl~0, 1:8), its width (:JIJi,; cf. :JIJ"~\:JIJI~, 9: 12) had to be ten cubits or less. Each alley led into several courtyards, and each courtyard ('~Ij; cf. '~t9o/. in this item) incorporated several houses (11:~; cf. 11'~, 2:3).11 Some courtyards ineluded cisterns (,i::1; cf. 'i:Jf' in this item) , 12 pits (IJ't?j; cf. IJ't?jf, 4:9), caves (i11Y.7?; cf. N1Y.7p~, 6:7), bath-houses, oil presses, water canals 8 Also, the cities ';llj, Hazor (royal Canaanite, Josh. 11:1; in Benjamin, Neh. 11:33; in Judah, Josh. 15:23). The laUer is the same as 1;'~1J, Hezron (Josh. 15:3). Moreover, one of the sons of Reuben and of Perez were named Hezron (Exod. 6:14 and Gen. 46:12, respectively). Similarly, 1'1':i!, "House of, ~ is often used in compound toponyms (see #7,2:3). 9 E.g., "He who sold a '1I1j (courtyard), sold with it O'l'I~ (houses), 1'1;,;::1 (cisterns), 1'1J'~ (pits), and 1'1;'~l? (caves), but none of the movable objects .... Rabbi Eliezer says, '(The seiler) only sold '1I1j '0/ :i"'~ (the space of the courtyard)''' (m. B.B. 4:4). 10 See M. Gill, "'ln,lU ;""1( 1('1( '::l~ 1(' 'ln;, 1'11( '::l'~;'~ in Tarbiz 46 (1976/77), 1728, ii. 11 E.g., "Five 1'1;'lIQ (courtyards) are open to each other and are open ';:17~7 (to the a1ley) ... 0'1'97 '1I1j~ 1'1;'lIQ7 ';:l~:jo/ (since the a1ley [is related] to the courtyards like the courtyards to the houses)" (m. 'Eruv. 6:8). Some of the courtyards were indeed very small 1'1mlct y~,~ :'1J;1~n~ I('i!o/ '1I1j, "A courtyard which is less then four cubit (by four) cubits" (m. 'Eruv. 8:9); while others were inside another courtyard ;T~ 0'~~7 ;T 1'1;'lIQ 'l'I~, "two courtyards, one inside the other" (m. 'Eruv. 6:9). 12 E.g., 1'1i'lIQ 'l'I~ l':i!o/ 'i::l, .. A cistem which is between two courtyards" (m. 'Eruv. 8:6).

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 3 (C'~iJ 11~15;

cf.

7.l:~iJ 11~15,

5: 1) exiting at the water exit

67 (;'~'~;; 13

cf.

1115'~;

7.l:~iJ, 7: 14), cistems with circular-walls or sealing rings (';~iJ 11~?'"; cf.

~~7'"~

...

';:1~ in this item), rocks (Y7Q;14 cf. Y7~iJ, 2:11), etc. . The courtyards were separated by a ditch (r'",!~;15 cf. I"trV\I'",!~Ij, 5:8), or by a ten (handbreadths) high ([Ii:1;; cf. !U;?~ 11;~15 Yj?i~iJ l~ [1':1;, 1:14) by four (handbreadths) wide wal1S. 16 One could build (;'~;~iJ; cf. ~~~iJ, 6:7) an upper floor (;'~?~; cf. l1'~WiJ ;'~'?~~, 10: 1) on two houses ('~~ '~~ ?)Z C'T:I~; cf. l'T:I~iJ '~~ 4:6).17 Some courtyards were surrounded by a porch called exedra (;'11Q:;>15; cf. l11Q:;>15, 11 :3).18 Additional terms used in the Scroll can be found in the tractate 'Eruvin. 19 The Mishnah distinguishes between ,~tr, "courtyard," and ;,~'~, "garden" (see #52, 11 :6); e.g., ,~tr7. ;,niJ l~, "from the garden into the courtyard" (m. Ter. 8:3). It also mentions l1''''!;XiJ ,~tr, "Tyrian court," in which the C'?~, "utensils" (cf. 2:5-6) were guarded against stealing (m. Ma'as. 3:5). ,~tr could be a shortened form of '~i?iJ ,:g~, literally "court of the grave," i.e., "grave site, cemetery" (cf. m. Oh. 15:8). Thus, it may be an additional burial term used in the Scroll, such as l~Tf915 = lTf915, "bone box" (11: 12), ,;~, "cistern, pit, grave" (as in this item), :1~~1PiJ 11'~, "resting place" (11:16), i';'~ 11~~. "(Grave) Garden of Zadok" (11:6); 7.l;?~~15 ,~, "Monument of Absalom" (10:12), 1':;)\1;:;), "burial niche" (12:3; 12:8), ~1Y.~, "cave, underground grave site" (e.g., 6:7), ~~7~iJ p~~, "Abode/Tomb of the Queen" (6:11), !U~~, "tomb" (1:15), Y7Q, "rock," could mean "grave site" (2: 11; 11 :5), Ij''''!~, "underground chamber, grave site" (2:5), '~i?, "grave" (3:11), and 1~;!U, "dovecote, tower, columbary," may mean "underground grave site" (9: 1, 9: 17). The Scroll scholars read the fourth word l'?tlO,!) as the Greek 7r8ptarVAOP 13 E.g., "One is not permitted to draw (water) on Sabbath from C~ClI1~1oI (a water canaI) (which passes through the courtyard), unless a separation-wall is made c'n~1? :11i!"lZ, :1V;:I~ (of ten handbreadths tall) :11$'~~~~ :19'~f~ (at [the canal's) entrance and exit)" (m. 'Eruv. 8:7). 14 E.g., "(lf) Y79.Cl1 ';:!lClI1~7~n (the ring-wall of a cistem or a rock) C'I!~I? :11i!"lZ, C';:I;:I~ (are ten handbreadths high fit belongs)) to the porch, less than that '~I]7. ([it belongs) to the courtyard" (m. 'Eruv. 8:3). 15 E.g., :1y'~'~ :11]11 :11i!"ll, p;~y. 11;'~tl 'tlo/ 1':;!~ y"tl, "A ditch which is between two courtyards, ten (handbreadths) deep by four (handbreadths) wide" (m. 'Eruv. 7:3). 16 E.g., :1y'~'~ :11]11 :11i!"lZ, !'I;:I~ n;'~tl 'tlo/ 1':;!~ '1.1;:;), "A wall between two courtyards which is ten (handbreadths) high and four (handbreadths) wide" (m. 'Eruv. 7:2). 17 E.g., e'n~ 'l.o/ ':;!~ 'lZ :1!7lZ, :1l.;:!lCl, "he who builds a second story upon two houses" (m. 'Eruv. 9:4). 18 :11'Q~~ n~Rm I(';:I~ '~I]~ );11, "and it is so when a courtyard is sUITounded by an exedra" (m. Oh. 14:4). 19 E.g., "He who places his 'eruv 'lZ~ n':;!~ (in a gate-house), :111Q~~ (exedra) ... n':;!1~ e'~>.'i;I (or in the woodshed), n;'~;l(i;I n':;!1~ (or in the storehouse) '" Rabbi Judah says, e~ n'~0 'lZ~ ,~ ,~ nQ'~T;l elf tU'. (if the owner has there right of access) ... " (m. 'Eruv. 8:4). '~I]~ 11'~;Y I(';:I~

68

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

"peristyle, colonnade." According to Milik, l,ln,o,g, is a diminutive form, "the small Cloister," rather than the plural of 7rBpiI1TVAOV. 20 Thorion questions whether the proper reading is l"~O,g or l"~O,g.21 Moreover, the Septuagint translates ;,~~'"! as 7rBpiI1TVACX (perystila, Ezek. 40: 17) and I1TOa (stoai, Ezek. 40: 18). The latter is used in Talmudic and Targumic literature as "tt9. 22 The term l"~O,g or l"~O,g does not occur in the Rabbinie literature. Finally, "great eistern" indicates: (1) that it was larger than an average eistern, and (2) that the Court of the Peristyle had more than one eistern. (peristylon) ,

7rBpiI1TVALOV,

(1 :6-7) ;Yi?ii? :l"~_P\;)7.;.~ ... ,;,~tl ';:1~ resembles the phrases l;,;ntl '1]''"!~~

"', "In/at/by/between the catacombs of Horon ... in/at/by the bottom/canal" (see #40, 9:7-8); ;Yi?ii?~ .. , ';:1~, "In (the) pit ... in its bottom" (10:3-4). In both cases :1,'\;),' have been analyzed as follows. ALLEGROpr: "rim"; "side." ALLEGRO: both :1", "piaster," noting "lining," rather than 1", "side, recess." ALLEGRorev: both "spout," i.e., :1".23 MILIK: 1", "bottom"; :1", basin. 24 LURIE: both :1", "channel"; :1" (Job 6:17) in Arabic means "to flow," and it is related to C", "to flOW."25 PIXNER: "recess"; "tomb's bed" (i.e., both 1,').26 WOLTERS: both 1'" "bottom"; "recess."27 GARCIA :171~\;)1.:~

20 Milik, 285, 248 C-I04, 273-74 D-64; MilikE , 139, 145; also, BA, 19 (1956),62; svr (1957),22; Allegropr; Allegro, 33,136 n. 13; Allegro rev , 21; Lurie, 60-61 and n. 2; Pixner, 342 and n. 5; Wolters, 32-33; Garcia Martinez, 461; Beyer, 225-26; Verrnes, 374; Wise, 191. 21 Thorion, 169. 22 E.g., t. Mo'ed Q. 2:13; Targum Esther 1:6 for ~~~'1. The Targum for "~il ("pillar") is 19'!l?9'~ (2 Kgs 22:11), a variant of "1?9 (2 Kgs. 11 :14), 1""'0 (t. Kel. B.M. 2:8), and "1?9'~ in the Palestinian Talmud (see Y. Yadin, The Temple Serail [Heb.), 1, 204-05). "~il is found three times in the Scroll (4:1, 6:1, 11:3). BDB (826b) explains '!1!1 (2 Kgs 23:11) and '~'1!1 (1 Chron. 26: 18) as a "structure (colonnade?) attached to the west side of Solomon's Temple." Jastrow (1218a) lists various spellings, "!1~, ~1'!'1~, and renders, "court, market, open place, outwork." According to Yadin, (BH), '~'!J (BH), (MH), also mentioned in the Temple Scroll (5:13), and ~""!J (Targum), are identical with and 7rSpiUTVACX (The Temple Serail [Heb.), I, 184; 2, 16; "Addenda," 136, n. 13). ~~~'1 ("pavement") is rendered by the Targumim as ~~~~'1 (Ezek. 40:17-18, 42:3), "1?9 (Esth. 1:6), and ~11;' (2 Chron. 7:3). The latter is the same as ,~;, (MH) in the Scroll (2:3) and in the Temple Scroll (4:4-5; 46:6). Jastrow (1455) renders ,~;, - ~1~;' as "pavement, mosaic pavement, especially the paved level space between steps in the Temple hall, landing, terrace" (see #7, 2:3). Jastrow (972) vocalizes "t:;I9 = "t:;I9'~ when it means "colonnade," and "1?9 when it means "mosaic pavement." 23 Allegro, 33,49, 136 n. 14; Allegro rev , 21, 25. 24 Milik, 293-94, 245-46 C-81; MilikE, 141; also (first case), BA, 19 (1956), 62; svr (1957),22. 25 Lurie, 60-61 and n. 3, 108-09. 26 Pixner, 342, 352. 27 Wolters, 32-33, 48-49.

"'!J

""0

""!J

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 3

69

MARTINEZ: "hollow"; "basin."28 BEYER: both 1", "deepest place."29 VERMES: "bottom"; "narrow part (?). "30 WILMOT: for 'Yi"i' 1":l l"t!O'~;' read 'Yi"i':l {'tlll"t!O,~;'.31 WISE: "bottom"; "recess."32 (abs., 11~" const.) means "side, base, thigh, 10in."33 When in the Masoretic Text 11.: means "side," the Targumim usually render lot1~ or lot1'~, "(the) side." E.g., the Targum (0, PsJ) of lf~~tI 1T. '31 is lot1~\lot1~ '31 lot~f~~!' "on the side of the Tabemacle" (Exod. 40:22,24).34 ;YR1R :JT.~, "in/at/by the side of its bottom," is similar to the biblical phrase 11.~. '31 i.l'~;, "on his right thigh" (Judg. 3:16). ;YR1R :l1_T.~, "in/at/by the canal of its ground," is also a valid reading. It would indicate that the pit and/or catacomb had a water outlet. :l,r, "to flow," occurs once in the Masoretic Text; ~n~~~ ~:llr; m!.~, "at the time when they flow (i.e., melt) they vanish" (Job 6: 17).35 :l,r is a cognate of the Arabiczariba, "to flow," and related to c,r, "to flow" (noted by Lurie). :l,r is a variant for 9,r, "to drip" (bet-pe interchange); it occurs once in the Masoretic Text, 9'T1L "dripping" (Ps. 72:6).36 Finally, in both cases, ;YR1R :J1.:.~ ... ';:J~\';:l~ and ;YR1R~ '" ';:l~ (10:34), "in ( .. ) its bottom," refers to the "cistem/pit," the proper meaning of ';:l~ is, "in (the) cistem/pit," rather than "at/by (the) cistem/pit." The form ;'\'(...... ):l(~) ...... :l means, "in (a/the) ...... (wh ich is) in it(s ... )" (see #9,2:9; #11, 2:13-14; #37, 8:14; #43, 9:14-16; #45, 10:3-4; #54, 11:9).

'lrn

(1 :7) lot:7~"~\lot:7m~ ~~n9, "concealed in/at/by a/the circular-wall" BAKERdr: lot',":l ~no; MILIKdr: lot',":l ~,no; ALLEGROdr: lot,":l c,no, with a final mem, but without a yod. The photographs of the Zuckermans seem to support Milik's drawing. ALLEGROpr: "hidden in a hole." ALLEGRO: c,no lot'":l, "concealed in a hole." c,no, the only final mem in the text. lot,", 28 Garcia Martinez, 461-62. 29 Beyer, 225-26, 229, 231. 30 Vermes, 374, 376. 31 "David J. Wilmot and the Copper Scroll," 20. 32 Wise, 191, 196. 33 Ben-Yehuda (3,2159-60) lists separate T'-~ and lT. 34 Neophyti renders 1(~:P~1 'i?~!ll!i ?ll, "upon the bottom of the Tabemacle." Rashi comments that 11~. means "as its Targum 1(1:,1 ("side"), like the thigh which is on the man's side" (Exod. 40:22). 1(1l and 1(1'l!i are cognates of the Hebrew ,~, "side"; a ~ade-sin interchange, which also occurs within Hebrew. E.g., 1~!,\l! l1~o/i', "the inhabitants of Zaanan" (Micab 1 :ll), means H!'\W l1~o/i', "the inhabitants of a tranquil place, " cf. H~W :.q~, "the tranquil abode" (Isa. 33 :20); cf. the comment of Rid on Micha 1: 11. 35 Rashi considers :I,t as a variant of :I'l, "be bumt, scorched," and so Maimonides, Rabbenu Meyul;1as, Me~udat non, Malbim; see also Ralbag (a zayin-~ade interchange). 36 AC 3, 319a; SB, 213a, 214a; BDB, 279b; BY 2, 1393 and n. 3; EShdic 2, 696a.

70

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

"hole," is from "n, "to drill, pierce, " or it is a variant of "n, "hole" (see #33, 8:2),37 MILIK: l't',nJ CU,O, "the one whieh is c10sed by means of a stone drilled c1ear through. "38 LURIE: l't,nJ C'110 'Yp'p J'TJ, "in the eanal wh ich is in the ground ... and they eoneealed the eanal with sand. "39 WOLTERS (reads as Milik): "which is plugged up with sediment" (cf. Lurie).40 Essentially PIXNER, BEYER, and WISE agree with Milik, while GARCIA MARTINEZ and VERMES coneur with eorrespond to Wolters. 41 CU19 (Qal pass. part. mase. sg. of the root C110, "to seal off") means "coneealed." Seven of the fourteen verbal forms of C110 in the Masoretie Text42 refer to sealing off water sources (e.g., 2 Chron. 32:30). C110 is common in Mishnaie Hebrew. E.g., "Why every mem in the middle of a word is 1J'11~ (open, i.e., medial) and this one CU19 (c1osed, i.e., final)?" referring to ;'J'C, (ketiv; ;,:;n~7, qeri) in Isa. 9:6 (1. Shab. 16[17]:13; b. San. 94a; see #19, 4: 11). The presenee of C'119 may support the voealization of "!)~ l'!)~, "hidden," in the SeroIl, rather than "!)Q - li!)Q, "dig" (Qal sg. mase. imperf.); cf. l'!)~ (mase.), "hidden" (see #60, 12:10), and ;'1$,JQ (= ;':'JQ, fern., Lurie), "hidden" (see #1, 1:2). ,1::1 and ;,:7,n are often used together. E.g., i11':7m1 C':;11v 11W;l:;1 ,i::1 C'J:I~T? ;'1~~ ;'v'J~, "A eistem in the publie domain and its eircular-wall that is ten handbreadths high" (m. (Eruv. 10:7); l'ryiJ~ m~ Y?~ij1 ,i::1ij 11:7m 1~~11 ;'1~~, "The circular-wall of a eistem and the rock that are ten (handbreadths) high and their width are four (handbreadths)" (m. Shab. 11:2).43 ,,::1ij 11:7,n, "the eireular-wall" is made of the excavated earth around the eistern. 44 Others define this term as "sealing ring," i.e., a sealing stone covering a weIl and has a hole through which water is drawn. 45 C'110 l't,nJ (Allegrodr) can be vocalized and interpreted as folIows. l't?'nf CU19 = ri?inf CU19, "hidden by its (fern.) sand," i.e., hidden by the sand of the ,,::1 (as fern.); an Jalej-mappiq he interchange. l't,'nf CU19 = ;"inf CU'9 = i'inf C'119, "hidden by its (masc.) sand," i. e., hidden by the sand of the ,i::1 (as masc.). The latter would represent the

mrnl5

37 Allegro, 33, 136 nn. 15 and 17; Allegrorev , 21. 38 Milik, 284-85, 244 C-66; MilikE , 139. 39 Lurie, 60-61 and n. 4. 40 Wolters, 32-33. 41 Pixner, 342; Beyer, 225-26; Wise, 191; Garcia Martinez, 461; Vermes, 374. 42 Onee is spelled as ClJ~ (Lam. 3:8), with a sin. 43 Cf. !li;,o/ n;~1:! YR1R;:! 1~ l'IJ~, "three cubits above the ground" (1:14); and Y79, (2:11; 11:5). 44 See Rav Nissim Ga'on, Rabbenu l:lananel, Rashi, Tosaphot, Bertinoro, Tif'eret Israel, and Kehati on b. Ber. 3b; b. San. 16a; b. 'Eruv. 78a, 83b; b. Shab. 99a; m. Shab. 11 :2. 45 Ben-Yehuda 2, 1465b-66a n. 2; M. Avi-Yonah, ""J" in EB 2, 42-43; R. Amiran, "C"fZl"" C'~;' npO!);''' in Qadmoniot 1 (1968), 18 (with a photograph of a sealing ring); Steinsaltz, Berakhot, 17 (it has a photograph of a sealing ring); EShdic 2, 773.

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 3

71

archaie suffix of hePalefinstead of waw (masc. sg. poss.), which may occur several times in the Scroll (see #11, 2: 14). N?lJf CU'Q, "hidden in the sand," where N?lJf is an Aramaism instead of the Hebrew "n~. Cf. the Targum for "n~ ~n~~l?~1 is N?lJf ri'1~~' (TO, PsJ, TN) and N?lJf ri'.n: 1~l?~ (Frag.), "and he hid him in the sand" (Exod. 2: 12).46 N?,n~\N?,nf c~nQ = n?,n~\n?,nf c~nQ, "hidden in althe sandy-land," where n?,n (fem., MH, from 'ln, "sand") means "sandy-Iand, "desert"; e.g., T,n~iJ n?,nf lZi'1i?~iJ, "who sanctifies (an area) in the sandy-Iand of the Mahoz" ('Arakh. 3:2).47

l"73lv

(1: 8) n.tl~m ,;~, "opposite to the upper entrance," indicates that this eistern or pit also had an additional entrance, perhaps on its side. The preposition ';~, "opposite to, in front of, against," occurs in two additional places in the Scroll (';~, 11 :6, 'HW, 2:7). The Biblical usage is 'H, while the usual Mishnaic Hebrew form is 'Hf (with the prefixed preposition kaj);48 e.g., n.tl~ ,;~ n.tl~ (Ezek. 40: 13) vs. n.tl~ ';p n.tl~, "entrance against entrance" (m. B.B. 3:7). Scripture says, ,;~ '~1lp' C~ llJ~1, "and Israel encamped there (i.e., in the Wilderness of Sinai) opposite the Mount (Sinai)" (Exod. 19:2). The Midrash explains that ';~, "opposite the Mount," means 'W ,nlP~ '~7 'V, "toward the east side of Mount (Sinai)"; and adds as a rule, "Whenever you find ,;~ (in Scripture, it means), nli1P? C'~~ (facing the eastern side [of something])," i.e., facing west (Mekhilta' Yitro 1).49 n.tl~iJ, "the upper entrance," is like N1 m;j, "the upper deep pit" (see #57, 12:4). The adjectives 1"73l (masc.), n1 (fem.), as weIl as the noun nl$'7~ (= n~7~, fem.), "upper level" (10:1), are from the root ;,'y, "to go up." Regarding nn~, see #4, 1: 11.

'vv

'vv

l"73lv

"73lv "73l

(1:8) 1iN~ Y~T;1 r,"!~:;l, "nine hundred talents" - n'N~ is a defective spelling for n'N~;50 cf. ~Q.~ 'RW n'N~ Y~l~ ... ~Q.~ 'RW 1iN~ Y~l~, "four hundred 46 Note the letter interchange of res-nun in '~I:) - 1~1:); cf. 'Eln - lEIn in the SerolI. 47 The phrase Tinl~0 n;'in has been explained as: "eheap land around the city" or "eheap land around (the plaee named) Mahoz" (Rashi, b. 'Arakh. 14a; so Bertinoro); "land of sand" (AC3, 386b); "sand land near the sea" (Tif'eret Israel). 48 Cf. Jastrow, 572a. n:;"l, a synonym of 'H appears as an alternate reading (see #44, 9:17). 49 Rashi, adapting this explanation, says, ;n1T~7 '00 '~~, "opposite the mount toward its east side" ... (ad. loe.; see Herezeg, Exodus, 221 and n. 2). Ibn-Ezra disagrees with Rashi (ad. loe.). Be'er Yi!flJaq (l, 198) solves this apparent contradietion stating that the Mekhilta' and Rashi refer to eases where no further definition is given. 50 So it is read by Milik, 284; Allegro, 33; Lurie, 60; Wolters, 32; Beyer, 225; and Wise, 191.

72

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

silver shekel ... four hundred silver shekel" (Gen. 23:15-16);

:l;n 111N~

Y~T;l

'n~, "nine hundred iron chariots" (Judg. 4:3,13). It can also be read as Y~T;l

"nine hundred, " which cou1d be an Ararnaism; cf. 1''1~' ;'~7? 1''11J1 l''17pl;( P.tlN~, "one hundred bulls, two hundred rarns, four hundred 1arnbs" (BA, Ezra 6:17). It is possible to read l''''!~:P, "talents," as l"~f., "in pitchers," as in six other cases in the Scroll. Accordingly, 1iN~ Y~T;ll";lf. could mean: (1) "in (an undisclosed number of) pitchers (there are) nine hundred (unspecified objects)"; (2) "(there are) in nine hundred pitchers (unspecified objects)." These objects may be coins, since it was a common practice to store or hide coins in pitchers. See Appendix A. ;'~7?\ill$~,

;'~7? Y~l15

ITEM 4

n,":;,

l"'!)N' l'l':I Y~' ,,:;, ,tzl ,n:l ,cY~' Y':ltzli1 'lNm Y~'i1 ,tzl ,:;'i1 l'!)li1 l~ N~Ni1 ",tzl:l mn!) 'l '!):I 'ltzl XAr i1,':lÖi1 n'i"l 'Y tzltzl m~N

1:9 1: 10 1: 11 1:12

1:9

In the mound of KaJ).elet (there are) dedicated objects consisting of flasks and jars with handles; 1: 10 aIl are of the dedicated (material), plus the treasury of the Sabbatical year and second 1: 11 tithe. Its entrance is by the mouth of the weIl at the edge of the canal, (at a distance of) six cubits 1: 12 from the north toward the cave of the immersion pool. (Code:) XAr. COMMENTARY

. (1:9) 117.ryi?~\117.ry:;;l ,~ '.t1~\'.t1~, "In/at/by althe mound of (the) Kal:)e1et" or "In/at/by Tel Kal:)e1et" - The toponym 117.ry:;.> occurs four times in the Scroll (here, 2:13, 4:11-12, 12:10). A fifth case appears in the suggested restoration of 117.ry[:;;I~~\117.ry[:;;I~~ 'i']~t1 'iJ~\'i::l~, "In/at/by the la[rge] cistem [which is in Ka]Q.elet" (see #15,4:1). The four cases of 11?IJ:;;I have been interpreted as follows. ALLEGROpr: "In the tell of K1).lt"; 11'"~ ~ay be the same as 11"n1:1 (b. Kid. 66a). The other three cases are read as 11'"::1, "in a (or the) hole," from "", cf. Arabic lJallat, "hole." ALLEGRO: i'I,"::1 '"::I or 11'"::1 '"::I, "In the trough (?) of the Place of the Basin (?)." ," rather than '11, from "" (MH) , "cavity, empty space"; ," = 'in, "unconsecrated area"; or ," = "IJ, "rampart." The bet is an abbreviation for 11'::1, "house of," while i'I'" - 11'" means "basin(s), hollow(s), " from (')'" (i.e., i'I'" 11'::1). i'I,"::1 - 11'"::1 may be "another name for the Bathhouse below the Moqed chamber of the Jerusalem Temple." The other three cases are rendered as "in a hole." ALLEGRorev: "In the mound of KHLT" (1:9); KHLT (2:13, 4:11); "in a hole" (12:10).1 MILlKorg: i'I'"::I, "in a cavity" (12:10).2 MILIK: 11'":1, KoQ.lit, in all four cases.

'lZl

'lZl

1 Allegro, 33, 136-37 nn. 17-18, 170 n. 316; Allegro rev , 21-23, 25. 2 Milikpublished fouritemsofhisoriginaJ version (#3,1:6-8; #11, 2:10-12; #52, 11:1-

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

74

11,n:J '!Z1 '11::1, "On the hill of KoQlit." The possible identifications are: '::1'~:l!Z1 11',m:J (cf. Allegropr), Beit KaQil near Hebron, and Khirbet KUQlat near Beer-sheba. Based on the Beirut Plaque wh ich states that Temple vessels were hidden in ,n:J 1':17 (Ein-koQel) on the western slope of Mount Carmel (lines 3-4), Milik in C',:J 11:JO~ amends '11:J 1':17 to ,n:J 1':17. 3 DUPONT-SOMMER: Milik is in error. '11:J 1':17 apparently was in Babyion, while '11 is "a mound of debris, a tell," not a "hill."4 BARDTKE: The first edition of 11:JO~ c":J indeed has ,n:J 1':17. 5 LURIE: 11,n:J in all four cases. 11,n:J '!Z1 '11::1, "in the Tell of 11',n;:)"; cf. '::1'~::1!Z1 11',m:J, Beit KaQil near Hebron, Khirbet KUQleh near Beer-sheba (cf. Milik) , 'Ein KUQleh in the Negev, and 'Ein elKUQleh near Abadat. Perhaps, 11,n:J '11 is Tell Muhalhil near Nabi Musa. 6 PIXNER: 11,n:J '!Z1 '11::1, "On the hilI of KoQlit." 11,n:J is a monastic center of a community. Tell KOQlit must have been located what is currently the Greek Orthodox cemetery in Jerusalern. One KOQlit was in Sekakah (which is Khirbet Qumran), and another in ~ehab, in the Land of Damascus (?).7 BEYER: 11,n:J, "kaQolet ('black object')."8 The rest of the scholars agree with Milik. 9 '.t1 (masc., BH, MH) means "hill, mound, tell" (pI. C'7T:1, 1'7'T:I, e.g., b. Men. 29b). '.t1 could be the first element of an unattested compound toponym, i.e., 117.IJ~ '.t1 = 117.IJ~ '.t1, Tel KaQelet or "Mound of KaQelet"; cf. the Babyi~nian·place nam~~ ::1'~1$ '.t1, Tel-abib (Green Mound; Ezek. 3:15; cf. Tel-Aviv in Israel), ~lf~1J '.t1, Tel-harsha (Magic or Deaf Mound), and n?~ '.t1, Tel-melah (Salt Mound; Ezra 2:59; Neh. 7:61). 117lj~·, KaQelet, may well be the same as 11'7q1::l, KOQalit mentioned once in the Babylonian Talmud (cf. Allegropr, Milik, Lurie).

'W

4; #62 [later #64], 12:10-13; according to his 'itemization'), in "The Copper Document from Cave III, Qumran," BA 19 (1956), 62-63; "Le travail d'edition des manuscrits du Desert de Juda," SVT 4 (1957), 22. Translations of items #11, #52, and #62, were published earlier by S. Roland, Jr., "The Dead Sea Scroll Tell of Treasure - Key to Vast Riches Written on Copper Is Deciphered," The New York Times, June 1, 1956, p. 21, c. 2. 3 MilikF , 323-5, 328, 355-57; MilikE , 139; Milik, 287-89, 240 C-20, 274-75 D-71. 4 A. Dupont-Sommer, The Essene Writingsfrom Qumran (1961),382,390-91. 5 H. Bardtke, "Qumran und seine Probleme," lliR NF 33 (1968), 185-204. C'':>~ n~~~, "Treatise of the Vessels," is an Aggadic work describing the hidden treasures of the First Temple. It was first published by Naphtali Hirtz ben Jacob Elhanan (Amsterdam, 1648). It was reprinted by A. Jellinek in Bet ha-Midrasch (1853) 2, xxvi-xxvii, 88-91 (':>n;) 1'V occurs in Mishnah 10, p. 90). Milik published a combined critical edition of c'':>;) n:Jc~ and the Beyruth Plaque with a French translation ("Notes d'epigraphie et de topographie palestiniennes," RB 66 [1959],368-75; especially 570 and n. X:a, 574). 6 Lurie, 61-62 and n. 1,65,73,83, 126. 7 Pixner, 337, 343 and n. 6, 346, 348 and n. 20, 358. In the last item, Pixner originally equated n':>";) with n':>";) ':>n ("An Essene Quarter on Mount Zion?" SB 1 [1976],275). 8 Beyer, 225-27, 232-33. 9 Wolters, 32-35, 38-39, 54-55; Garcia Martinez, 461, 463; Vermes, 374-75, 378; Wise, 191-93, 198.

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75

It happened with King Yannai when he went to 'P7p~~ n'~qi:;) (KoJ:.ialit which

is in the Wilderness) and conquered there sixty cities (h. Qid. 66a).10 Rashi comments that KoJ:.ialit is a distriet in the Wildemess. Jastrow suggests that 11'?lJi:;, may be identical with the biblical n~l, Nophah (Num. 21 :30),11 a place captured by the Amorites from Moab (in Transjordan). If 11?lJ;l is identical with ':P7p~~ 11'?Oi:;" then perhaps it was located in Transjord~, as Goranson suggests. 12 Regarding purifications, the Mishnah rules that:

11; ::liT~ sop),

(Greek hyssop), n'~qi:;) ::liT~ (Kol}alit hyssop), '?,li' ::liT~ (Roman hys(wilderness hyssop) are unfit" (m. Par. 11 :7).13

'!~1?,l ::liT~

11'?lJi:;, may be diminutive form for 11?'lJ;l; cf. 11'IJ'~' "jug" (i.e., small vesseI, 2 Kgs 2:20), vs. 111]1;, "dish" (i.'e:, large vess~l, 2 Kgs 21:13).14 11?lJ;l and 11'?Oi:;, are probably from the root ,n:J, "to color azure"; e.g., T;I~6~ 1~~'>.', "you (sg. fern.) painted your eyes," or "you (sg. fern.) colored your eyes azure" (Ezek. 23:40); 111]15 1:31 'in~? 'i,f - 'in~, "(the paint) azure, enough to color one eye azure" (m. Shab. 8:3).15 Moreover, 11'?Oi:;, :!iT~, "Koi).alit hyssop," was either named after the place 11'?Oi:;" Koi).alit,16 or its color was 'in~, "azure."17 The names of the other hyssops, Greek, Roman, and wildemess, support the first suggestion. 18 Perhaps the jewel '?Oi:;, or

10 'I(~~ and "~~ (Jaonaeus) are variants of HIJ" (Johanan, John), and 1~9" (Jonathan). 'I(~~ 17.~tI could be John Hyrcanus (135-104 BCE) , or his son Jonathan Alexander (c. 126-76 BCE). See Jastrow, 580b; AC 4, 140a; L. Ginzberg, "Alexander Jaonaeus (Jonathan)," JE I,

352a-354b; M. Kayserling, "Hyrcanus, John (Johanan) I," JE 6, 515a-517a; Y. Even, "(Hyrcanus) O'lP";," in OY 4, 130a; J.D. Eisenstein, ""lO;,';o1( (Jaonaeus lnl") 'I(~~" in OY5, 159b-161b; editors, "'1~Q=?715 (T.N") 'I(~~" in EH 19,932-34. Also, G. Vermes, "The So-Called King Jonathan Fragment (4Q448), " JJS 44 (1993), 294-300. 11 Jastrow, 618. n~jl, Nophah, may be same as n~'l, Nobah (Num. 32:42), a bet-pe interchange (cf. SB, 527a; Harkavy, 434a, 462b). 12 Regarding n';on;" Goranson criticizes the suggestions offered by Pixner and Beyer; "Sectarianism, Geography, and the Copper Scroll," JJS 43 (1992), 286-87; "Further Reflections on the Copper Scroll," a paper submitted to the International Symposium on the Copper Scroll at the University of Manchester, 1996. 13 Cf. m. Neg. 14:6; Sifri on Num. 19:6; b. Suk. 13a; and b. I:Iul. 62b. Some editions have '71J.t,) while others n'7tlt,), some n~ :l'TI5 while others li'~'TI5 (as one word). 14 Both are rendered by the Targum as 1(l)'J:I'';o~. Regarding diminutive forms, see M.Z. Segal, "Misnaic Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic," JQR 20 (1908), 712-13; Diqduq Leson hamMisnah (1935), 78, 84. 15 Also in Aramaic, e.g., n7.tl~l, "and she painted" (Trg. 2 Kgs 9:30), I(?tlt~, "eye paint" (Targum Seni Esth. 1 :3). 16 See Rashi (b. I:Iul. 62b); Maimonides, Tif'eret Israel, Rison le$ion, Mishnah AJ;.aronah, Kehati (m. Neg. 14:6). 17 See HecArukh, 276b; AC 4, 213-15; Jastrow, 618b; S. Klein, "Zur Ortsnamenkunde Palästinas," MGWJ 64 (1920), 190-91. Rashi renders I(?tlt:) (the Aramaic cognate of ';oIJi::l) as WI(';o, lazur in Old French (i.e., "azur, blue"), "neither green nor black" (b. I:Iul. 47b; also HR 3, 510b [old pagination); Catane, 139b; Gukovitzki, 58 #860).

76

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

'7.0:;1,

"carbuncle" (Exod. Rabbah on 28: 19 and Trg. Songs 5: 14, respectively): originated from 1'1'7t!':I, KOQalit, or 1'1?1J:~, "Kru,elet. (1 :9) l'"e~q l'~?~\l'+?~ Y~1. '7.:p\'7:p, "(there are) dedicated objects consisting of flasks and jars with handles" - For the various readings, vocalizations and interpretations of this problematic phrase, as weH as an in-depth discussion of the dema c vessels mentioned in the Scroll, see Appendix D.

(1:10-11) ,nJ;1~?; '~~\'~~ '~V1 ,g:l,~' !l':Jo/iJ '~Nv1 Y~1.iJ?!{1 ?·:liJ, "all are of the dedicated (material), plus the treasury of the Sabbatical year and second tithe. Its entrance is by the mouth of the weIl" - ALLEGROpr: "the whole being of dm c oil, and sbc/sm c treasure, and macaser seni tithe, of piggul offerings of Passover and biSSul meal" (i. e., Y~IZ1\Y:J,zm 'INi11 Y~'i1 ?1Z1 ?:1i1 ?'IZ1:J' nCg ?,,'g~ 'llU 'CY~'). ALLEGROrpr: The comma between "and macaser seni tithe" and "of piggul" is crossed out. ALLEGRO: 'INin Y~'i1 ?1Z1 ?:m n1'1g? 1'1'g~ 'llZ1 'CY~' Y':JIUi1, "all of tithe and stored Seventh-Year produce and Second Tithe, from (the) mouths to the opening." The waw of Y':JIZ1i1 is on the cut. Y':JIUi1 '"Ni1, "the store - the Seventh-Year produce"; or an error for Y':JIZ1i1 '"N, "store of the Seventh-Year produce"; or Y':JIUi1 for 'Y':JIZ1i1, haplograph of foHowing waw/yod, a gentile adjective, "SeventhYear store"; 1'1'g~ = m'g~, the taw is written as a gimmel; cf. 1'1",gn (9:2), 1'1'llU (9:4); n1'1g?, cf. n1'1gi1 (1:8). ALLEGRorev: "all of tithe and stored Seventh-Year produce and Second Tithe of rejected offerings (piggul). Its opening"19 MILlK: mng ?l 'g~ 'llU 'OY~' Y:JIU ;"INi11 Y~'i1 '1Z1 '~i1, "the sum of the aromatic spices and of the treasure: seven and one tenth (of a talent). Sight from the entrance of the turning door." i1'IN is a feminine formation of 'I'N (masc.), a special kind of treasure; like ", (masc.) vs. m, (fern., "fish," Ion. 2:1,11, and 2:2, respectively). ,cy~ is "one tenth," rather than "tithe"; alternatively 'llU ,oy~ is "two tenths," rather than "second tithe. "20 GREENFIELD takes "strong exception" to Milik's interpretation of i1'IN.21 LURIE: n1'1g? 1'1Ug 'llZ1 'CY~' 'Y:JIZ1i1 'INi1' Y~'i1 ?1Z1 ?~i1, "after two turns to the entrance ... everything (in them are) terumah and treasure, seventh-year produce and tithes." 'Y:J1Z1 is 1'1'Y:JIZ1, "seventh-year produce," and ,cy~ is 1'1"lZ1y~, "tithes." 'llZ1 is connected to the next phrase. Since this item does not list talents of silver and gold, the lagenae and amphorae vessels stored priestly share, tithe, and seventh-year produce, consisting of fruits, grains or oil, rather than their exchange money. 22 It should be noted that to 18 Cf. Kohut, who adds that n',m:l is a metathesis for n'"":l, Cilicia in Asia Minor, and that many soldiers of King Jannaeus were from Cilicia (AC 1, 49b-50a; 4, 214a). 19 Allegro, 33, 137 nn. 24-26,157 n. 190; Allegro rev , 21. 20 Milik, 284-85, 233 B-18e, 235 B-20d, 247 C-90, 249 C-116; MilikE , 139. 21 Greenfield, 139. 22 Lurie, 62-65 and nn. 2-7 ('CY7J:" is instead 'CY?;)" cf. n. 5; also, "to the entrance" is

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77

read 11U!) the text must be amended. PIXNER: "All of the tithe and of the treasure: a seventh of the second tithe ('lIU 'CY~ 'Y::IlUil), from the adulterated offering ('l'!)~). The opening (is found). "23 WOLTERS: 'IU ':lil ,n11!) 'l'!)~ 'lIU 'CY~ 'Y::IlUil '~lotil' Y~'il, "All of these belongs to the tribute and the seventh treasure, a second tithe rendered unc1ean. Its opening is"; ,~~!)~, passive participle of ,~~, "renders unc1ean, spoil. "24 GARCIA MARTINEZ: "total of the tithes and of the treasure: a seventh of the second tithe made unc1ean(?). Its opening lies"25 BEYER (reads as Wolters): "to the total of the priestly share and (also) the (content of the) seventh storage, a second tithe rendered unusable. The entrance iso "26 MCCARTER: '~lotv1 Y~'.rr ,~ ":;,rr ,~~!)~ ,~V! 'W~~~ 3l~::I~rr, "As for all the dema( and the Seventh-(Year) accumulation and disqualified Second Tithe. "27 VERMES: "The total of the offering and of the treasure: seven (talents?) and second tithe rendered unc1ean. At the exit of. "28 WISE: "All the votive offerings, and what comes from the seventh treasury, are impure second tithe. The cache's opening. "29 ":;,rr (BH, MH), "everything, all , the whole (of), althe total (of)" - cf. 11;lot~ tOV! l"~:;l ,':;,rr ~t;m Y~'. ,~ ::IV! '7.~~ ~9.~ 7.:p l"~:l!., "vesse of the house of the burial niche, a total weight of 71 tal~nis and twenty minas" (see #59, 12:8-9); also. ilY.o/1J1 C'~"o/ il~~ ":;,rr, "the total one hundred and thirty-nine" (Ezra 2:42); il~~ C'~"o/ ":;,rr, "the total is thirty minas" (m. Yoma 3:7); ,':;,rr rlJ~~ lot~tt ,':;,rr ';::1~ lot~tt ,':;,rr 11'~~~ lot~tt, "(if a dead creeping thing was found) in a large jar, the whole (cistern) is unc1ean, in the cistem, the whole (cistern) is unc1ean, in the ladling jar, the whole (cistern) is unc1ean" (m. Toh. 10:7). Moreover, these three cases in the Scroll, as weIl as the Copper Scroll itself, should be compared with the following citation. I (Ezra) set aside twelve of the chiefs of the priests ... ~9f.t1 n~

CV'?

il'?'i?~~1

C'7;i1t1 n~1 :l~!t1 n~1 (And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels), U'1.;~ n'~ n~~'1;l (the elevated gift for the Temple of our God) that missing in the translation; both are typographical errors). 23 Pixner, 343. 24 Wolters, 32-33; "Analysis," 248; "Vocabulary," 493 #49 and n. 69. Also. Wolters' comment in McCarter's article, "The Copper Scroll Treasure," 144. 25 Garcia Martinez, 461. 26 Beyer, 225-26. 27 "The Copper Scroll Treasure," 137-39 and nn. 6-9, 144. McCarter discusses the readings of Allegro, Milik, and Lurie, as well as Biblical and Talmudic references. 28 Vermes, 374. 29 Wise, 191.

78

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

the king, and his counselors, and his officers, and all of Israel who were present (in Babyion), had offered. il?j?~~l (And I weighed out) into their hands: C'~~m n;K7;l ~~ C''1~:;' 9~~ (six hundred fifty talents of silver); ill;t7;l 9~~ '?1~ C'if:;l? (and one hund red silver vessels, each a talent); if:;l ill;t7;l :l~! (one hundred talents of gold); 9?l;t C'~:l:11$? C'if?'~ l~! '"1!)1~ (and twenty golden sprinkling bowls, of a thousand darics); c'~tp il~;~ :l~~~ n~'n~ '?1~ (and two vessels of fine polished bronze) :lN~ 1i'~~q (as splendid as gold). And I said to them, "'il? ~lp C1)~ (You are holy to the Lord), ~·tP C"~tI1 (and the vessels are sacred), l~!i:q 9~~D1 (and the silver and the gold) are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your forefathers. Be diligent and guard (them) until "ptpt-\ (you weigh [them]) before the chiefs of the priests, and the Levites, and the heads of families of Israel in Jerusalem 'il n'~ n;:llP7D ([in] the chambers of the Temple of the Lord)." And the priests and the 'Levites took over 'j?lP~ C"~D1 :l~!D1 9~~D (the weight of the silver, the gold, and the vessels),to bring them to Jerusalem, to the Temple of our God ... And we came to Jerusalem ... On the fourth day U";~ n'~i C"~D1 :l~!D1 9~~D 'j?tp; (the silver, the gold, and the vessels were weighed in the Temple of our God), by the hand of the priest Meremoth son of Uriah along Elazar son of Phinehas, and with them were ... the Levites, ,:;,? 'i?~~i i~9~i (with the count, with the weight for everything). K'iJD m?~ 'i?~~D ,~ :llj~'l (And all the weight was recorded at that time; Ezra 8:25-30,32-34). Since in the Scroll many letters are indistinguishable, and essentially the the script is continuous, most words in lines 1: 10-11 can be read in more than one ways. In addition, there is a minor difference between the drawings. The fifth word of line 1: 10 contains, among others, a bet and an (ayin. These two letters in the drawings of BAKER and MILlK are almost touching each other. However, the drawing of ALLEGRO has between them a dotted waw/yod right on the cut, where the roll was sliced into strips (see "The Drawings" in the Discussion). The following are possible suggestions. Y~1.i] ,~ ?'::liJ, "all of the dedicated (material)" (cf. ;'~~jT;l ,'::li], "all of terumah," m. Ket. 5:2), restates that everything in this cache is dedicated; cf. "and upon it is a capital of nvtn~ (copper) ... and a meshwork and pomegranates are on the capital all ~o~nd; n~n~ ,'::l;:l (all are of copper)" (2 Kgs 25: 17; Jer. 52:22). n'Y~1;:1 ,~ ,'::l;:l, "all are of the dedicated (material)," where n'Y~1 would be the only plural form of y~,. in the Scroll (see Appendix D). n'Y~1\Y~1. ,~ (1'7~;:I =) ~~;:I\7~;:I or n'Y~1ü\Y~1.ü ,~ 7~;:I, "the dema( vessel(s)"; cf. Y~1. ,~ ~iJ! ,~~~ 99.? N17 (for the treasures, for the heave offerings, for the first fruits, and for the tithes) to gather into them, according to the fields of the cities ... (Neh. 12:44).

or )l~:l~\)l~~ m~'~vl\m~~\m~~, "(and the) treasury/treasuries of (the) Sabbatical year" - )l~:l~ (masc., pI. C'y'~:l~, l1~Y~:l~; from y~l(t, "seven") means: (a) "week, weekdays," i.e., seven days; e.g., l1l(T )l~rp ~~~, "fulfill this week" (Gen. 29:27); (b) "week-years," i.e., seven years, or one Sabbatical cycle; e.g., )l~:l~iJ '~J:!1 'lJ~ )l~:l~, "one week-years and one half week-years" (Dan. 9:27);30 lU~'~~ Cv'>.'~:l~7 C'~~ '1.l~~~ '~'l '>.'~~? CV'>.'~:l~ (lU~"~~ =), "the appointed times of the years for their week-years and the beginning of their week-years for the appointed time of freedom (i.e., Jubilee)" (IQS 10:7-8);31 l1~'o/Y,~~ :l'~1J )l~:l~ '~rp '~rp:;1, "in the other years of the Sabbatical cycle one is obligated to give tithes" (m. Shevi. 4:7); 'lJ~ )l~:l~ 111J~ i11~ 'lJ~ lU,:n 111J~ l1~W 'lJ~ C~', "one day, one week, one month, one year, one week-year" (m. Ned. 8:1). McCarter raises the problem with )l~:l~iJ '~~~vl, "and the store, the seventh year," since one would expect )l~:l~iJ '~;~1, the first definite article is superfluous. 32 However, there are similar cases in the Masoretic Text; e.g., C'·t'~v 11'~ l1~'~~V ')l1, "and on the treasuries of the Rouse of God" (1 Chron. 9:26; cf. Me~udat David), vs. 11;'~~7~ C""~v 11'~ 11~'~;~ ')l C'~1rep, "the treasuries of the Rouse of God and the treasuries of the dedicated gifts" (1 Chron. 26:20); 11j!,:;llf"D i1~o/~~ = l1Y.':;1lfiD i1~o/D~\ "and in the year, the seventh" (in the verse mentioned below). 'Y.'~lfi0\'Y.~lfi0 '~~vl\'~~ or 'y.'~rp\'Y.~rp 1i'~~v1\1i'~~, "(and the) treasury/treasuries of (the) Sabbatical year." Twice in the Masoretic Text l1'Y.'~o/iJ is a shortened form of l1'Y.'~o/iJ i11~' "the seventh year": l1y'~o/~~ C~lJ '~~lJ7 ~~:., "but in the seventh year (the slave) shall go free without payment" (Exod. 21:2), vs. 1~Y.~ '~~lJ U1J?WT;111Y.'~o/iJ i11~~\ "but in the )l~:l~iJ\)l~~iJ '~~vl\'~~

30 ll~:lo/, "week-years," is found in the Masoretic Text seven times, and only in Danie!. Steinberg (818b) suggests that this meaning was introduced in the Babylonian exile, therefore, when the meaning is "weekdays," C'~:' "days," is added (Ezek. 45:11; Dan. 10:2-3). 31 Licht discusses the seven year cycles and Jubilee, and quotes Biblical, Talmudic, and Dead See Scroll sources (The Rule SeraIl [Heb., 1965),211). See also, B.A. Levine, "A Further Look at the Ma'adim of the Temple Serail," Archaealagy and Histary in the Dead Sea Serails (1990), 53-66. 32 "The Copper Scroll Treasure," 137 n. 6.

80

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

seventh year you shall set (the slave) free from you" (Deut. 15: 12); and j:J~~~t~ i1~~~~T:I l13r:+!f'rq, "but in the seventh year you shall let (the field) rest and lie fallow" (Exod. 23:11), vs. Y"W? i1~.~~ l'l1~V? 11~V? 11Y.':+!f'i:I i1~~~~, "but in the seventh year it shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land" (Lev. 25:4). l1'Y.':+~ (MH) means "Sabbatieal year," and "produce of the Sabbatical year"; e.g., l1'Y.':+~ '1.t!'C, "trader of the produee of the Sabbatieal year" (m. San. 3:3). Sinee i1~~, "year," is feminine, one would expeet l1'Y.':+!f'i:I (fern.), rather than 'Y.':+!f'i:I (masc.). Yet i1~~ may be a double gender noun, or the compiler(s) considered it as SUCh. 33 Thus, 'Y.':+~ (masc.), like l1'Y.':+~ (fern.), "seventh," may refer to the seventh year produce. ~'y'~f!j, "seventy" - ~'y'~f!j Ii1l~iJ1\1i'l·~, "(and the) seventy treasures"; ef. l'y'~f!j l'"!~:;l, "seventy talents" (2:6»; l'y'~f!j :J:J, "seventy kk" (4: 12). ,~I?t '!;1~~m!;1~~, "(and) second tithe" - 'W~~ (masc., pI. l1"~Y,~; samekh-sin interchange), "tenth, tithe," is derived from 'W3l, "ten. "34 The Torah obligates the farmer to give to the Levites l'tzj~"! 'W~~ (MH) , "first tithe," a tenth of his produce, in each of the first six years of the seven year eycle. In addition, the farmer must set aside ,~I?t 'W~~ (MH), "second tithe," in the first, second, fourth, and fifth years. If the farmer lives far from Jerusalem, he may exchange it. The second tithe or its exchange must be brought to and consumed in Jerusalern in astate of ritual cleanness. It can also be utilized for peace offerings (most of which were consumed by the donnor, his family, etc.). In the third and sixth years the farmer must provide 'W~~ '~y. (MH), "tithe for the poor," for the Levites, proselytes, orphans, and widows. In the seventh or Sabbatical year the land must be left untilled. 35

During the Second Temple era all tithes were deposited in the storehouse of the Temple: 'l'~iJ 11':;! 71$ 'W~~i:I 7~ 111$ ~~':+iJ, "You shall bring all the tithes into the storehouse (of the Temple; Mal. 3: 10). "36 The following Tosephta describes of the collection of the produce of the Sabbatieal year and its deposition in the city storehouse. 33 Cf. the ketiv K~;'~ ;,~W~ which seems to be masculine, vs. the qeri K';'~ ;,~W~ (fern.), "in that year" Gen. 26:12). The plural absolute is C'~I!i; and the plural construct are ';,tp' and Tliltp', a latter reflects the TI'I- formation. The ketiv and the plural C'- ending may indicate that ;'~I!i is a double gender noun, although in the Torah K';:1 (fern.) is always written as K';' except II or 14 cases (ESh con I, 532a; Gordis, 166, respectively). 34 The ludeo-Aramaic K'1;1~ = 'ir!l1,~~, "the tithe," as alternate readings, occurs several times in the Scroll (see Appendix D). 35 The laws of the (first) tithe are discussed in Tli'~l1~ TI~9.~\TI~9~, the Tractate Ma'aserot, of the second tithe in ,~~ 'ir!:i,~ TI~9.~\TI~9~, the Tractate Ma'aser Seni, while of the Sabbatical year and its produce in TI'Y.'!;Itp' TI~9.~\TI~9~, the Tractate Shevi'it. All three are in the order ZeraCim (Seeds), and have Mishnah, Tosephta, and Palestinian Talmud. Regarding the vocalization and meaning of TI::lC~, see Schottenstein Edition, Talmud Bavli, Tractate Berachos I, "Introduction" (1997, Eng. ed., p. li; 1997, Heb. ed., np.). 36 Also, Neh. 10:33-40 (esp. 10:39).

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At the beginning (of the Sabbatical year) agents of the court made rounds at the town entrances. He who brought fruits in his hand (the agents) took (the fruit) away, gave hirn back food for three meals, and deposited the rest ,'y.~~ ':fiK7 (in the city storehouse). Upon arrival of the fig season agents of the court hired laborers for picking figs, making fig cakes, collecting the cakes in barrels, and depositing the barrels ,'y.~~ ':fiK7 (in the city storehouse). Upon arrival of the grape season agents of the court hired laborers for cutting grapes and pressing into barrels, collecting (the wine) in barrels, and depositing the barrels ':fiK7 "y'~~. Upon arrival of the olive season agents of the court hired laborers for harvesting olives, packing olives into the vat, and collecting (the oil) in barrels, and depositing the barrels ,'y.~~ ':fiK7 (in the city storehouse). And from them (the agents) distributed (food) every Friday, 'ry~n 'ry~ ;f (each and every [man received]) according to the size of his family (t. Shevi. 8: I). It was the responsibility of the Jerusalern Court during the Sabbatical year, to

collect the produce that had grown on the untilled land, deposit it in city storehouses, and later distribute it to the population. Paying the agents, hiring labor to collect the produce, maintaining the storehouses, distributing the food during the Sabbatical year, must have been costly. Thus, one can reasonable assurne that a part of the collected food must have been exchanged for money to cover operating expenses. Furthermore, referring to an ancient custom, the Talmud mentions both the storehouse and the tithe together. Initially the (collected) ,~lt~ (tithe) was divided into three parts, a third for the known priests and Levites, a third for the ':fiK (storehouse), and a third for the poor and l:Iaverim (strict ob servers of ritual cIeanness) that were in Jerusalem (y. Sot. 9:11 [43b]; y. Ma'as. Sh. 5:5 [24a]). Albeck says, since the first tithe may be consumed by Israelites, "the third of the tithe" deposited in the treasury was also used for public purposes.J7 ,~W '1;1~~~ Y~~~;:I '~~;:q or '~W '1;1~~ ';r~~j;:I '~~vl may refer to the converted funds controlled by the Jerusalern Court. Although it is not specifically mentioned, the treasury had to contain money, rather than produce. Accordingly, the phrase in question means, "the treasury consisting of both, the exchange of the Sabbatical year produce and of the second tithe. " ,cy~mcy~ can also be vocalized as '\?3l~~\'\?3l~ = '~3l~~\'~3l~ = 1~~\1~ '~3l, "(and) from ten (fern.)"; cf. '~3l C'l3?, "ten cities" (Josh. 15:57, 21:26); il~~ il"J.ip3l tzj,~ 1~, "from (the) thirteenth year (fern.)" (Jer. 25:3). 'llU can be read with the following letter as ~'llU. It can be vocalized as C'~~ (masc.), "two"; cf. ~~.[1~ l'l~:;I, "two (fern.) talents" (7:16), and l'l~:;I n~~ l'~W, "sixty two (masc.) talents" (10:7); and as C'~~, the plural of il~~ (fern.), "year," especially, since 3!~~~ could mean "seven years"; cf. y~~ 37 H. Albeck, Seder Zera":::I0i1, or simply read as ',:::I0i1. i1?':;!f;l (fern., pI. 11;":;!f;l, MH), "immersion," is an integral part of the ritual purification process (from the root ':::10, "to dip, immerse, bathe, " BH, MH). E.g., "It was taught (in a baraita) , 1~11:;l 1'7~;0 11;":;!f;l ':;1'~1J ,~ (Every person who is obligated to perform immersion, must immerse in the regular manner) on the Ninth Day of Ab, as weIl as on Yom Kippur" (b. Be~. 18a; b. Shab. lIla; b. Ta'an. l3a); i1?':;!!pu 11':;17 1''11;' ;,~, "in it (fern.) one descends to the ritual bath" (m. Mid. 1: 6). '~:1'~ (masc., TH) means "dipping," especially food into liquid (e.g., b. Pes. 115a), its Aramaic cognate, ~?~:1'~, also means "immersion" (e.g., Ps) Num. 19:4). Accordingly, both '~:1~ and i1?':;!f;l could mean "immersion."S8 '~:::I9 (MH, pass. part. masc. sg.) means "subject to separating tithe and/or priestly shares." The denominal '::1-lt (MH) and '::1-f? (JA) mean "to make tevel." ,~~ (masc., MH) and ~?~~ (masc., JA), tevel, is a "produce from which the priestly share and/or priestly tithe were not yet removed." E.g., 56 See also AC 5, 384-85; Jastrow, 935b; KS 2, HOb-Ha; Karo, 118b. ,~~ (MH, pI. a masculine formation of the :11i?~ (fern.), is a hole made by a bird, snalce, or small holes on the grinding wheel (e.g., t. Ter. 7:15). 57 In the Masoretic Text a verbal form of 'V1 is used with 'i::l, "pit": '~l ,~ ~"'~;:1 C~!p-~ ,i::l n~R~ '\51 cN~tI, "Look to the rock (from which) you were hewn, and t~ the pit (from which) you were dug" (Isa. 51:1; see Rashi, Radak, and Me~udat Zion). Moreover, in the Siloam inscription :1:1V1:1, which appears three times, is translated as "brealc-through" or "the tunnel" (from the root :lV1, "to bore, drill"; KAlI, 34; 2, 186-87 [#189:1,4]). Cross and Freedman vocalizes and renders hinnaqibo, "its being tunneled through" (Early Hebrew Orthography [1953], 49-50). According to Marcus, the correct reading is :11i?~;:1, like n1J7~ "1;:1 (Barzilai [1983], 281). In the paleo-Hebrew script bet and rd have similar shapes. Yet in the inscription reproduced in Marcus' book, the letter in question looks like a bet, rather than res. Marcus' reading while interesting, is not convincing. Steinberg (573a) derives the roots :lv1, 'v1, and 'v1 from the bilateral root V1. 58 ,,:I\f (Qal pass. part. masc. sg.) means "immersed"; ci' ,,:lI?, one who immersed in the ritual bath in day time, but must wait for the sunset to be completely pure. n;?1!1~\n;?9.~ Ci' ,,:lI?, the Tractate Tevul Yom (which has Mishnah and Tosephta) deals with thi~ ~ubj~ci" C''1R~),

vv1,

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'v!~Q nQ~'1;1 'W ,m~ ,~~ ~., ;'~~'1;1 'W '~:J,? ,~~, "revel which is subject to terumah, (but) not revel which is subject to terumah of the tithe (that the Levite gives to the priest)" (b. Bei~. 13a). Since the Scroll uses such terms as YQ1., "dedicated object," ,~W '!;13lQ, "second tithe," ~!.Ij, "dedicated object" (s~ #41,9:10), it is plausible thai '~:J,? has this meani~g. ;'?'~" = ;,\~?~" (fern.) or n"'~" = n;,~" = n;~?~" (p1.), from the Greek raßAOi, tabula, means, "board, tablet, document"; e.g., ~?~"f n31~~'7?, "like a square tablet" (m. 'Eruv. 4:8). The yod may represent a Tiberian sewa); cf. l;!)~:;l'W, "in/at/by (the) north of" (see #43, 9:14), n'~'w, "which is (in/at/by the) house oE" (see #46, 10:5), while the plural is a defective and non-expanded form (see Appendix D). The usage of :J.t'f, "document" (6:5, etc.), and 91Q, "board" (3:12-13, alt.), in the Scroll may support this suggestion. Based on the above, the following are possible readings, vocalizations, and interpretations for the phrase in question. n"'~tpü\;'?'~tpü n"li?'~ = n;,'~tpü\;'?'~tpü 'W ;'1i?~, "(the) cave of the immersion(s)," i.e., one mikve. n"'~tpü\;'?'~tpü mi?'~ = n;,'~tpü\;'?'~tpü 'W n;'i?~, "(the) caves of the immersion(s)," i.e., several mikves. '~:Jtpü\'~:ltpü n"li?'~ = '~:Jtpü\'~:ltpü 'W ;'1i?~, "(the) cave of the immersion," i.e., one mikve. '~:Jtpü\'~:ltpü mi?'~ = '~:Jtpü\'~:ltpü 'W n;'i?~, "(the) caves of the immersion," i.e., several mikves. These can be compared with ~'~IJ n'~ C~~, "in (the) hot bath-house" (see #49, 10:15, alt.). Essentially these possibilities have the same meaning as ;'?'~tpü n"ly.7?, "the cave of immersion." In Mishnaic Hebrew ;'1Y,7? often refers a "ritual bath," since many of those were in caves (cf. Bertinoro on m. Miq. 6:1); e.g., "a (ritually impure) needle which is placed ;'1Y,7pü n;?~Q ?31 (on the steps of the ritual bath)" (m. Miq. 7:7). ;'1Y,7? may be a shortened form of ;'1Y,7? '~, "waters of (the) cave. "59 Regarding ;"Y~, see #7, 2:3. ,mgü n"'i?'~\n"li?'~ = ,mgü 'W n;'i?~\;'1i?~, "(the) cave(s) of the revel," i.e., storage caves for revel; cf. YQ1.ü n'~, "house of the dema c" (t. Ter. 10:16; see Appendix D). n"'~~ü\;'?'~~ü 1i'i?'~\n1i?'~ = n;~?~~ü\;'?~~ü 'W n;'i?~\;'1i?~, " (the) cave(s) of the document(s)/tablet(s)/board(s)."

(1: 12) XAr, "(Code:) XAr" - For a detailed discussion of the seven sets of Greek letters in the Scroll, see Appendix C. 59 Cf. cry~ l'~t;t nil(~77;l~ ~i'9~t;t ni'~l?1J ~

:11$9 c'V~l~, "All

ni'lll?

'7;l

C'1!'1!i

'7;l ni'i~ '7;l c'lm '7;l 'IJ~

are the same, waters of ponds, waters of cisterns, waters of pils, waters of

rain that stopped, and mikves that do not have forty secas (of water)" (m. Miq. 1 :4).

ITEM 5 ,~o, N"':l Ol~ 'TU N:lO~i1 N'TU:l l'>,:l'N ~O[:::l] TU"TU m~N >'i"i'i1 1~ i1:ll ':::l[:::l]

1: 13 1:14 1:15

1: 13 In the tower of the staircase of Manos, in the descent to the left, 1: 14 three cubits above the ground, (there are) forty [ta]lents of 1:15 [si]lver. COMMENTARY (1: 13) O~~?I(1\Cl~?I(1\O~~\O·l~ '1(11ot~~7prt Iot'~~, "In the tower of the staircase of Manos/Mannas" - ALLEGROpr: "In the ruin of the molten image of MNS" (i.e., Ol~ '1Zl 1ot:l0~ 111ot11Zl:J). ALLEGRO: Ol~ '1Zl 1ot:J0~;' lot'IZl:J, "In the ascent of the Staircase of Refuge." 1ot'1Zl is from the root IotlZll, cf. Job 20:6; also cf. llot'lZl ';', Mount Sion, Deut. 4:48, one of the names of Mount Hermon. Ol~ is from the root ou. ALLEGRorev: "In the ascent in the escape staircase."1 MILIK: Ol~ '1Zl ~:lY~;' ~'IZl:J, "In a hole of the mine which is at Manos. " ~'1Zl is like the biblical ;'11Zl; Iot:JY~ is like ;':JY~ (1 Kgs 7:46; hapax legomenon). The personal name Manos ("refuge") cou1d be an unattested place name. 2 LURIE: Ol~ '1Zl 1ot:J0~ M~'IZl:J, "In the pool of Manos (in which there is) astairease (or cavity)." MIot'IZl, plene spelling for M'IZl, "pool, pound," is re1ated to M'1Zl1ot (Ben-Sirah), mlZl~ (Mesha Stone), ;'M'1Zl (ketiv, Jer. 18:22), and M'1Zl (MH). Ol~ was the owner of the "pool" or "courtyard. " Ol~, name of an Arab king, is like the Mishnaic name lot'Ol~. 3 PIXNER: Ol~ '1Zl 1ot:J0~;' ~'IZl:J, "On the elevation of the Manos (Emergency exit) staircase."4 WOLTERS: MIot'IZl:J Ol~ '1Zl ~:JY~ = O·l~ '1(1 ;,:g3!1? lJ'W~, "In the plastered cistem of Manos. "5 BEYER: Ol~ '1Zl Iot:JY~;' (M'IZl:J =) lot'IZl:J, "In the pit of the ground-foundry of Mannos. "6 VERMES: "In the hole of the waterproofed refuge."7 GARCIA MAR1 2 145. 3 4 5

Allegro, 33, 138 nn. 32-34; Allegrorev , 21. Milik, 285-85, 241 C-36, 259 C-209, 265 D-20a, 300 Addenda to D-20a; MilikE , 139, Lurie, 65-67 and nn. 1-3. Pixner, 344 and n. 9. "The Fifth Cache," 169-76; Wolters, 32-33.

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TINEZ and WISE agree with Wolters. 8 Regarding the first two words, the drawings differ. BAKERdr: bet/kaf, sin, Jalef, he//Jet/taw, bet/ka!, a dotted curve that may be the right part of an (ayin or samekh, bet/kaf, and Jale! MILIKdr: bet/kaf, sin, dotted waw/yod, Jalef, he//Jet/taw, mem (the upper left part is dotted), (ayin (a dotted curve plus asolid right hand), bet/kaf, and Jale! ALLEGROdr: bet/kaj, sin, waw/yod (on a crack), Jalef, he//Jet/taw, mem, samekh, bet/kaj, and Jale! Milik's and Allegro's third letter is absent in Baker's drawing. Three words in the Scroll can be read as ~'IU or ~'IU (1:13, 8:10, 8:14). In the first two cases the next word begins with a he, the definite article. However, this character can also be read as a /Jet or taw, and may be the last letter of the word in question. Consequently, there are numerous possible readings, vocalizations, and interpretations. Many of these suggestions are applicable only to some ofthe three cases (see #36,8:10; #378:14). ~'fZl (masc.), which occurs once in the Masoretic Text, is the same as or a variant of ~,~; cf. 1'?~ ~'fZl~, "at the rise/top of its waves" (Ps. 89:10).9 ~Wj, Sheva, was the father of Machbenah (1 Chron. 2:49), and according to the qeri, the name of King David's scribe, while the ketiv is ~:o/ (it will be mentioned later). Sheva could be an unattested toponym. ~1~ (masc.) means "emptiness," or perhaps "empty space"; e.g., l~~: ,~ 1111'7;)1;1 ;'~.~T:I ~1~ ':;l ;'~1;1~ ~1~~, "Do not trust a man lost in emptiness, for emptiness will be his recompense" (Job 15:31).10 ~'.~ = ;'1.~, Shaveh is the first element of two biblical compound toponyms, C'.t1:lP ;'1.~, Shaveh-kiriathaim in south Moab, and ;".~ P~31, Valley of Shaveh south of Jerusalern. And in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with hirn came and subdued the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim in Harn, and the Emim C:1);li? i11~~ (in Shaveh-kiriathaim) ... And the King of Sodom went out to meet hirn (Abraham), after his return from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with hirn, 1?1@0 i'~>.' X~i1 i11~ i'~>.' ?~ (at the Valley of Shaveh, which is the King's ValIey; Gen. 14:5,17). ;'1.~ is explained as "plain" (from the root ;'1IU, "to be even, smooth");11 cf. the Targum for ;'1.~ P~31, is ~~;l~ ,~,~ (TO, PsJ) , "clear/leveled valley."12 Gordon notes that in the above verse m~ is a synonym of l7.~, "king,

6 Beyer, 225-26. 7 Vermes, 374. 8 Garcia Martinez, 461; Wise, 191. 9 Tur-Sinai compares 1X'tl.' with 1'?lX1tu:l (The Bookof Job [1967), 310-11). 10 In some editions it is spelled as 1~~, lacking the 'alef, or it is a qeri-ketiv case; see Minl}at Say. Regarding the translation, cf. Targum, Rashi, Rik, Ralbag, and Me!udat David. 11 BDB, l000b-Ola; SB, 828b-29a; BY 7, 6955b and n. 2; EShcon 3, 2089b. 12 See also Rashi on this verse. Other Targumic renderings are, X!;T~"1 ,~,~, Valley of

92

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

ruler," and it is a cognate of the Ugaritic pry, "to rule, govem" (interchanges of taw-sin, and yod-he in final position, respectively).13 Accordingly, m.W i'~>.' could mean "Valley of the Ruler." l'C'~ (masc.) means "top, elevated, tower, rise" (from the root l'C!l1l, "to lift, carry, take"). In the verse ~r~: :13Z? 11Zil'C" 1l'C'~ C'~!f7 :1?~: C~, "Though his top mounts up to the heavens, and his head reaches to the c1oud" (Job 20:6), the hapax legomenon l'C'~ is paralleled to 1Zil'C1, "head,"14 The Targum renders l'C'~ as rl'~i?n, "his elevation" or "his pride." Most biblical commentators follow this explanation. 15 l'C:IP (ketiv), Sheya, or l'C1IP, Sheva (qeri), Sheva, was King David's scribe (2 Sam. 20:25).16 Sheva or Sheya could be an unattested toponym. "~~IZi, plene spelling for tnlZi (prob. masc. in MH; prob. fern. in the eS), "pit" (a variant of the next reading). "~,~, plene spelling for lJ'~ (mas. in MH; prob. fern. in the eS), "pit." 1'1l'C'~, plene spelling for 1'1'~, "deep pit." Regarding lJ~1Zi - lJ'~ - 1'1'~, see #18, 4:9. 1'1~'W, plene spelling for 1'1l'CW (fern.), "ruin" (from the root :1l'CIZi, "to crash," the yod may represent a Tiberian sewa-'), which occurs once in the Masoretic Text in the phrase '~!ftq 1'1~Wij, "the devastation and the destruction" (Lam. 3:47). 1'1~,~, plene spelling for 1'1~~ (fern.), "rising, top" (from the root ~iZ7l, "to lift, c~, take"); e.g., C'?~' ~'U: i1'1W~, "from his rising the mighty are afraid" (Job 41:17; 11'1W~ is a defective spelling for i1'1~fp~); and 1'1~fp 'tJ~. T3? 'tJ;." "excess of rank and excess of power" (Gen. 49:3). :1l$ilZi (fern.), "ruin" (from the root :1~IZi); e.g., rl~ ,~: :1l$ilZi f , "with destruction he shal1 fall in it" (Ps. 35:8); cf. :1:1,,":1 (1: 1). 1'1~ilZi, "ruin of," construct state of the previous suggestion; e. g., 1'1~'!U~~ C'Y.W"!, "and from the destruction of the wicked" (Prov. 3:25).17 the Vision (Frag.; see Jastrow, 442a), and ~~Q11~ 'W'~, Valley ofthe Gardens (TN). 13 UT, 501b (#2662). Aistleitner renders twY asfreundlich aufnehmen ("to receive someone in a friendly manner"), based on the Arabic Eawa, jemand gastlich aufnehmen ("to receive someone in a hospitable manner"; WUS, 333 [#2851]). 14 GuilIaume compares ~'IU with the Arabic sawwan, "head, skulI. " He says that ~'IU means "crown of the head," and it is a synonym for and parallel to IU~' in the second hemistich; Studies in the Book 0/ Job with New Translation (1968), 43, 103; Hebrewand Arabic Lexicography - A Comparative Study (1965), 7. Similarly, RA. Levine suggests that ~'IU of this item means "top" (personal communication); cf. Allegro's note. 15 E.g., Rashi, Ralbag, Rik, Rabbeinu Meym,as, Me~udat David, Me~udat Zion, Malbim. Regarding ~~i?~T, see Jastrow, 389b. 16 This vocalization of the ketiv is offered by Gordis (156), who notes (203, n. 589) that the same name also occurs as ~~W' Shavsha (1 Chron. 18:16), ~~'t;1, Shisha (1 Kings. 4:3), and :"I~1o/, Seraiah (2 Sam. 8:17). 17 Allegro's original reading seems to be like this suggestion. This writer arrived independently to this alternate reading.

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93

Tbe second word is ~~97p0 or ~~9~ (depends whether the he!lJetltaw belongs to this word or the previous one). ~~9~ (also spelled as ;'~9~, ;'~'9~, fern.) means "staircase" (from the root JJO, "to go around, surround"). It occurs in the Temple Scroll, Mishnaic Hebrew, and Aramaic. 18 Two types of stairs were discovered in Palestine: (a) spiral stair of cistems, such as the the Pool of Gibeon near Jerusalern having a total of 93 steps; 19 and (b) square shaped staircase towers. 20 Yadin describes ;'~'9~ (11'~) of the Temple Scroll as a square type of staircase. He reads a second occurrence of this word in the Copper Scroll, ,;~ ~?i'~0 ~~97p0 111].1] Pi'l 11~~, "opposite to the garden of Zadok below the large staircase"; i.e., ~~91p0, "the staircase," rather than ~1i97p0, "the (large) stone" (see #52, 11:6-7).21 The Jerusalern Temple had several 11i::l'9~ (pI. of ;'~'9~), underground pathways or pathways with steps. The Mishnah rules that: (A defiled priest) goes out and proceeds along the il~'t;l~ that leads under the ilT::! (Temple), and lamps are burning on both sides, until he reaches n':! il7'::ltpi) (the ritual bath). Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says, "in that il~'O~ which leads under the ~'n. (the rampart)" (m. Mid. I :9; cf. m. Tam. 1: 1).22 ~J;9'9~, the plural of ~~'9~, is the Targum for 0'7" (pI. of "'); "and one goes up in the Kl)~'9~ from the ground to the upper floor" (Trg. 1 Kgs 6:8). According to Rashi, ~1)~'9~ is a "winding pathway, passage way."23 18 Jastrow (803b) renders ;'I:J'O~ as "winding staircase." 19 Excavated by Pritchard in 1956-62. Some identify this pool with l;Y~l 11:n~ (Trg. l;Y~l! lo:-tl'~'J.f), "Pool of Gibeon, " where King David's men prevailed over the folIower of Ish-bosheth, son of King Saul (2 Sam. 2:12ff). See J.B. Pritchard, Gibeon Where the Sun Stood Still (1962), 53-78 and photographs 33-35; H.M. Orlinsky, Understanding the Bible Through History and Archaeology (1972), 116-17; J. Elizur, "li)/:P" in EH 10, 246-47; J.

Elbaum, "Gibeon, " EJ 7, 550-52. Regarding ;'I::l,:1, see #ll, 2:13. 20 A. Negev, "The Staircase-Tower in Nabatean Architecture," RB 80 (1973), 364-83. ii-vi; "11't:l:J);'I 111'::l"'lo::J ml"1r"l~" in El9 (1972), 197-207. 21 The Temple Scroll (Heb.) I, 163-68 (in the citation, 11':1 is a printing error for 11ll). 22 A short but interesting artic1e appeared in the Algemeiner Journal - ANational Jewish Journal, Feb. 18, 1983, p. 16, entitled ';'1 l'Yt:ll1lo: ';'I:J'O~'" l'lo:11Ylt:li')/'!lt:lllo: T'lo:" "? 11':J;'I (= Has the Mesibbah under the Temple Mount been discovered?). The artic1e, referring to this Mishnah, relates that Meir Ben-Dov discovered a 200 meter long tunnel leading to a ritual bath under the Temple Mount. The artic1e includes an excellent photograph of the ritual bath. This structure consists of three square shaped platforms at descending levels, each separated on its four sides by four steps, with a square shaped pool in its center. Regarding 11;:!'O~ in the Temple, cf. m. Mid. 4:3,5, 5:3. See also, I. Magen, "l!I'i'~;'I 'l!I ';'I:J'O~;'I 11':J' 1lo: ";'I:1'O~;'I'" in El17 (1984), 226-35, 10*; J. Patrich, 'l!I ;'I:J'O~;'I" "m,'~ 11::l0~ '!l ~Y l!I'i'~;'I-11':1 in Cathedra 42 (1987), 39-52. Regarding "":Jt:l, see #4, 1:12; for ;'1":1, #17, 4:6; for ~'n, #49,10:15. 23 Rashi in his comment on C'7~'f says that lo:-tl~'07? in Old-French is wiz, viz, and in German Wendel Stein, Schwindel Stieg. It is a stone pillar having many steps, and one who goes up turns around the pillar. There is no need to extend it like a ladder, since the circular

94

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

:1~9~, ahapax legomenon, occurs in the verse :17Y,~7 :17Y,~7 :1~9~1 :1~J:rn, "were broader as they wound about higher and higher" (Ezek. 41: 7, JPSi). Its Targum is, }(731.7 }(?31.7 }(R7Ql }(.l)~!;)7? }(:J;1~g~, "and widening the staircase and elevating higher (and) higher. " Thus, :1~9~ (also from the root :::l:::lC) is a synonym of }(~!;)7?, and so is explained by the traditional commentators. 24 Moreover, if }('~ is a tower, then }(~!;)7p0 }('~ means "staircase tower." To Allegro's original reading of }(;)C~ = :1~~~, "molten image, idol" (from the root lC~, "to pour"), one can add additional interpretations. :1~~~ (fern.) also means "cover"; e.g., :1~~~01, "and the cover" (Isa. 25:7, 28:20).25 Likewise, }(;)C~ can be vocalized as :1~~7? - :1~~7? - :1~~C7? (Micah 7:4; Ezek. 28:13), and :1~~V7? (Isa. 5:5), "covering, fence, covered" (fern. Peculah forms), all from the root l;)cq;)V, "to cover" (see #20, 4:13). According to Baker's drawing, the second word can be read, vocalized, and interpreted as follows. }(~'~ or }(~'~0, "(the) drain" - cf. 1!f.0 1;10/. }(7"~0 }(~'~~\}(~'~f., "In/at/by the large drain of the Bezekh" (12:8). :1\}(~'~ (MH) is a rarely used feminine formation of :::l'~ (masc., MH), "drain" (see #429: 11). }(~~:J or }(~~:J0, "(the) burial niche" - :1\}(~~:J is an unattested feminine form of 1~:J\1':J (masc., MH), "burial niche" (see #59, 12:8). Based on Milik's drawing, the second word can be read as }(:::lY~ - }(:::lY~:1, with a bel, or }(;)Y~ - }(;)Y~:1, with a ka! The following are possible readings, vocalizations, and interpretations for this word. }(~;l,~ = :1~;l,~ or }(~;l,~0 = :1~;l,~0, "(the) foundry, (the) pit" (cf. Milik); cf. :"l~11$::r :1::!:z,~~ (l Kgs 7:46), it may be a toponym, i.e., "(the) Ma'aveh." }(f.)!7? = :1f.)!7? (cf. Wolters), }(f.)!7p0 = :1f.)!7p0 (masc.), }(~)!7? = :1~)!7? or }(~)!7p0 = :1~)!7p0 (fern.; depending on the gender of the previous noun) , "(the) heavy (one)"; e.g., P1 'J:1~1 :1~~Y7? 'J:1~, "one is heavy, and one is thin" (m. Suk. 4:9). Regarding :1:::lY, see #18, 4:9. }(~;l,~ = :1~;l,~ or }(~;l,~0 = :1~;l,~0, "(the) Maacah" - Maacah, is a personal name (Gen. 22:24, masc.; 1 Kgs 15:2, fern.), an Aramaie nation (2 Sam. 10:6, also 11~;l,~, Josh. 13:13), and a city in Naphtali, 11'* :1?:;!1$ :1~;l,~0, Abel Beth-maacah (2 Sam. 20:15).26 path itself is an incIine. Rashi similarly discusses ;'~:t~ (2 Kgs 1:2), ;,:t9t (Ezek. 41 :7), and ;'~'Q?? (b. Yoma 19a). See Greenberg, 81, 85, 160, 280 n. 257, 295 n. 474; Catane, 46; Gukovitzki, 44. Jastrow (698b) renders ~~~ as "winding pathway, passage way, especially a small room with astaircase leading up to the upper room." 24 E.g., Rashi, Radak, Me~udat David, Me~udat Zion, Malbim. Some consider ;':lOl as a Nifcal perf. third pers. fern. sg. of the verb :1:10 (MK 2, 788b; SB, 584b; EShcon 2, 1490b). BDB (686a) suggests that ;':lOl' should be read as ;'lf9Ü1. Note, the word ;'lf9il1, "and it shall be added" (from the root '10', "to add"), occurs in Num. 36:4. 25 ;'~lP.~ may be a variant of ;'9~~ (masc.), "cover" (e.g., Exod. 26:14), a metathesis. 26 According to Radak, Abel and Beth-maacah were two neighboring cities.

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 5

95

N~3!~ = i1~~Y~ or N~3!7p!:1 = i1~~Y7p!:1, "(the) erashed/ruined" (cf. 1 Sam. 26:7; Qal pass. part. fern. sg. of the root 1Y~, "to press, crash, ruin"). In light of the above diseussion, the following are the possible readings, voealizations, and interpretations for the first two words. In some the definite artic1e seems to be superfluous, while in others it is apparently missing. N~~~!:1 N'-~f = i1~~~!:1 i1'-~f' "In/at/by the Plain of (the) Ma'aveh," or "In/at/by althe plain of the foundry/pit." N~!;)~!:1 N'-~f = i1~!;)~!:1 i1l~f' "In/at/by the Plain of the Idol"; cf. i'~37. i1~.~, Valley of Shaveh/Plain (mentioned above). N~~7p!:1 Nlo/~\N~.~f = i1~~C7p!:1 i1~.o/~\i1l~f, "In/atlby althe covered plain." N~~~ i11$,qj~\i1I$'~f = i1~~C~ i11$,qj~\i1I$'~f' "In/at/by althe covered ruin." N~3!~ i11$,qj~\i1I$'~f = i1~3!~ i11$,qj~\i1I$'~f' "In/at/by althe thiek ruin." N~3!~ i11$,qj~\i1I$'~f = i1~~Y~ i11$,qj~\i1I$'~f' "In/at/by a/the devastated ruin. " N~':;111~'~f = i1~':;111~'~f' "In/at/by a/the ruined drain. " N~~::l 11~'~f = i1~~::l 11~'~f' "In/at/by althe ruined burial niche. " N~3!~ 11~'~f = i1~3!~ 11~'~f' "In/at/by a/the thiek ruin." N~!;l~ 11~'~f = i1~!;l~ 11~'~f' "In/at/by a/the ruined stairease." N~!;)~ 11~'~f = i1~!;)~ 11~'~f' "In/at/by a/the destroyed idol." N~':;1!:1 N'Wf = i1~':;1!:1 N'Wf' "In/at/by the top of the drain." N~~::l!:1 N'Wf = i1~~::l!:1 N'Wf' "In/at/by the top of the burial niche. " N~~~!:1 N'Wf = i1~~~!:1 N'Wf' "In/at/by the height of Ma'aveh," or "In/at/by the upper part of the foundry/pit." N~3!7p!:1 N'W~\N'i?'f = i1~3!7p!:1 N'W~\N'i?'f' "In/at/by the strong tower." N~!;l7p!:1 N'Wf = i1~!;l7p!:1 N'Wf' "In/at/by (the) height/tower of the stairease," or "In/at/by the stairease tower." This is the suggested reading. N~!;)~!:1 N'Wf = i1~!;)~!:1 N'Wf' "In/at/by an/the top/upper part of the covering/fenee/idol. " N~~7p!:1 N'Wf = i1~~C7p!:1 N'Wf' "In/at/by the top/upper part of the eovering/fenee," or "In/at/by althe covered tower." N~3!7p!:1 N'i?'~\N'Wf = i1~~Y7p!:1 N'i?'~\N'Wf' "In/at/by a/the ruined tower. " N~~~!:1 N'i?'~\N'Wf = i1~~~!:1 N'i?'~\N'Wf' "In/at/by a/the tower of (the) Maaeah." N~':;1 n~'lPf\n~~~f = i1~':;1 lJ'lPf\IJ~~f' "In/at/by a/the eistem/pit of althe drain" (cf. Lurie). N~~::l n~'lPf\n~~~f = i1~~::l lJ'lPf\m~f' "In/at/by althe eistem/pit of althe burial niche. " N~!;l~ n~'lPf\n~~~f = i1~!;l~ lJ'lPf\IJ~~f' "In/at/by althe pit of althe stairease." N~!;)~ n~'lPf\n~~~f= i1~!;)~ lJ'lPf\IJ~~f' "In/at/by a/the pit of althe idol." N~~~ n~'lPf\n~~~f = i1~~C~ lJ'lPf\IJ~~f' "In/at/by althe covered pit."

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

96 ~q~~ n15'~f.\n15~wf.

=

i1~~~ lJ'~f.\J:nwf.,

Ma'aveh/foundry/pit. " ~~~~\~~~~ n15'~~\n15'~f.\n15~W~\n15~wf. i1~~~\,

=

"In/at/by althe pit of a/the -i1~~~ lJ'~~\lJ'~f.\mW~\lJ~wf.

"In/at/by althe strong/thiek pit. "

~~~~ n15'~~\n15'~f.\n15~W~\n15~wf.

=

i1~~Y~ lJ'~~\lJ'~f.\lJ~W~\lJ~Wf., "In/-

at/by althe ruined pit/eistem." ~~~~ n15'~f.\n15~wf. = i1~~~ lJ'~f.\lJ~Wf., "In/at/by althe pit/eistem of Maaeah," i.e., Maaeah's pit/eistem, or whieh is loeated in Maaeah. ~~':;l11~'~f. = i1~':;l11'~f., "In/at/by a/the deep pit of althe drain." ~~':;l11~'!fi:;l = i1~':;l11~!fi:;l, "In/at/by a/the ruin of althe drain." ~~':;ll1~'o/:;l = i1~':;ll1~o/:;l, "In/at/by althe top of althe drain." ~~~:;, 11~'~f. = i1~~:;' l1'~f., "In/at/by althe deep pit of althe burial niehe. " ~~~:;, 11~'!fi:;l = i1~~:;' 11~!fi:;l, "In/at/by althe ruin of althe burial niehe. " ~~~:;, l1~'o/:;l = i1~~:;' l1~o/:;l, "In/at/by althe top of althe burial niehe. " ~~!;l~ 11~'~f. = i1~!;l~ l1'~f., "In/at/by althe deep pit of althe stairease." ~~!;l~ 11~'!fi:;l = i1~!;l~ 11~!fi:;l, "In/at/by althe ruin of a/the stairease." ~~!;l~ l1~'o/:;l = i1~!;l~ l1~o/:;l, "In/at/by althe top of althe stairease." ~~Q~ 11~'~f. = i1~Q~ l1'~f., "In/at/by a/the deep pit of althe idol. " ~~Q~ 11~'!fi:;l = i1~Q~ 11~!fi:;l, "In/at/by a/the ruin of a/the idol. " ~~Q~ l1~'o/:;l = i1~Q~ l1~o/:;l, "In/at/by althe top of a/the idol." ~~~O~ 11~'~~\11~'~f. = i1~~O~ l1'~~\l1'~f., "In/at/by a/the covered deep pit. " ~~~O~ l1~'o/~\l1~'!fi:;l = i1~~O~ l1~o/~\l1~!fi:;l, "In/at/by a/the eovered ruin." 1'9~O~ l1~'o/~\l1~'ip:;l = i1~~O~ l1~o/~\l1~ip:;l, "In/at/by a/the covered top." ~~~~ 11~'~f. = i1~~~ l1'~f., "In/atlby althe deep pit of althe Maabeh/foundry Ipit. " ~~~~ 11~'!fi:;l = i1~~~ 11~!fi:;l, "In/at/by althe ruin of a/the Ma'aveh/foundry/pit. " ~~~~ l1~'ip:;l = i1~~~ l1~o/:;l, "In/at/by althe top/height of althe Ma'aveh/foundry Ipit. " ~~~~ 11~'~~\11~'~f. = i1~~~ l1'~~\l1'~f., "In/at/by a/the thiek deep pit." ~~~~ l1~'o/~\l1~'!fi:;l = i1~~~ l1~o/~\l1~!fi:;l, "In/at/by a/the thiek ruin." ~~~~ l1~'o/~\l1~'o/:;l = i1~~~ l1~~~\l1~o/:;l, "In/at/by a/the thiek top." ~~~~ 11~'~f. = i1~~~ l1'~f., "In/at/by a/the deep pit of althe Maaeah/drain. " ~~~~ 11~'!fi:;l = i1~~~ 11~!fi:;l, "In/at/by a/the ruin of althe Maaeah/drain." ~~~~ l1~'o/:;l = i1~~~ l1~o/:;l, "In/at/by althe top of althe Maaeah/drain." ~~~~ 11~'~~\11~'~f. = i1~~Y~ l1'~~\l1'~f., "In/at/by althe devastated deep pit. " ~~~~ l1~'o/~\l1~'!fi:;l = i1~~Y~ l1~o/~\l1~!fi:;l, "In/at/by althe devastated ruin."

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 5

97

~9~~ 11~"~\11~'~~ = ;'~'Y~ 11~~~\11~~~, "In/at/by althe devastated top/height. " Both tjl~ (masc.) and ;'Q'l~ (fern., from the root OU, "to escape," with a locative mem) mean "escape, flight, place of refuge." E.g., '~~~ O;l~ ,~~, "the refuge has been lost for me" (Ps. 142:5); P:J7.t1 ~., ;'QU~:;I\ "and by flight you shall not go" (Isa. 52: 12); "and let not your inclination ensure you that Sheol is O;l~ 11'~ (a refuge) for you" (m. 'Avot 4:22). Mishnaic Hebrew and Aramaic often add 11'~, "house of," before a noun describing a place of something, whether it has a locative mem or not. Thus, O;l~ = O;l~ 11'~, "place of refuge"; tzj1i?~0\tzj1i?~ = tzj1i?~0 11'~, "(the) Sanctuary/Temple"; ,~;~ = ,~,;~ 11'~, "storehouse" (see #4, 1:10; #33, 8:1-2).27 Lurie suggests that Manos was the owner or the person after whom the staircase was named. He points out that in the Talmud a similar name '~1 ~:9~~ 1~ l;Y~~, Rabbi Simeon ben Menasia occurs. 28 Indeed, O~~, Mannas, could be a shortened form of ~:9~~, Menasia, and both may be later forms of ;,W~~, Manasseh (Gen. 41 :51), exhibiting a sin-samekh interchange; cf. l;Y~~, Simeon (Gen. 29:33), vs. 1;~'1;), Simon. 29 Thus, ,~ ~~1;)1p0 ~'i?'~ O~~\Ol~ could mean, "In the tower of the staircase of Manos/Mannas," or "In the staircase tower of Manos/Mannas" (cf. Lurie).

(1: 13) 'b9?\"~9? ~1i~~\~1i'~ (= ,~;~~?\,~;~~? ;'TT~\;'1'i'~), "in the descent to the left" - ALLEGROpr: "in one of the sides of the image." ALLEGRO: '~O' ~:J":J, "in the left-hand side."30 MILIK: '~O'~ "':J, "going down to the left. "31 LURIE: '~O' ~"':J, "in the descent to the left side (of the cave).32 PIXNER: "when descending on the left hand side. "33 WOLTERS: ~"':J '~O', "on the way down to the left." ;"", may be the name of the "steps descending into the cistern. "34 BEYER: '~O ,~ 1":J, "in the wall to the left. "35 GARCIA MARTINEZ and VERMES follow Milik, while Wise agrees with Lurie. 36 27 See Bendavid 1,182; 2, 444. 28 Lurie, 66 n. 3. This Tanna is mentioned several times in the Rabbinic literature; e.g., m. l:Iag. 1:7; t. l:Iag. 1:7; 'Avot - Qinyan Torah 6:8; y. Ma'as. Sh. 2:4 (lOa); b. l:Iag. 9:1; Eccl. Rabbah 1 :37. 29 E.g., the Amora li~'l;l " was known as '~~ p li~l?~ " (y. Suk. 4:6 [18b] and b. Ber. lOa, 61a, respectively). li~'l;l is a Hellenized form of li~l?~ where the 'ayin disappeared; see B.Z. Bacher, '''' ,li~'l;l" in OY7, 179b-80a. 30 Allegro, 33 (1(;)":1 is a printing error for 1(;)":1); Allegrorev , 21. 31 Milik, 284-85; MilikE, 169. 32 Lurie, 65, 66 n. 5, 67. 33 Pixner, 344. 34 "The Fifth Cache," 176; Wolters, 32-33. 35 Beyer, 225-26. 36 Garcia Martinez, 461; Vermes, 374; Wise, 191.

98

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

The first word of this phrase consists of the preposition bet or kaj, followed by the letters yod/waw, dalet/res/final ka! (the bottom of the leg is missing due to a lacuna), plus an Jale! This Jale! may belong to the next letter lamed, creating the word 7~, "to." The second part of this phr~se can be read as '~~7 = 7l'ti~i?'7, 7b!il? = 7l'ti~~? = 7l'ti~~ü7, or 7b~ 7~ = 7l'ti~i?' 7~. 7·~~ i~ a defectiv~ spelli~g for 7l'ti~~\ 71ot~i?', pl~s ~ sin-sa~ekh intercha"nge; cf. 17i~~7 = i7l'ti~i?'7, "to its (mas~.) left" (10:6), and the possible restoration of i7i[~~7] ,,;, i7l'ti~i?'7 (7:5).37 7l't·~ip means both "left" and "north"; e.g., i'~~17 7l'tbo/~ 'W~, "which is on the left of Damascus" (Gen. 14:15), is rendered by the Targumim as: i'~~17 l't1~g~~1 (TO), i'~7rn7 l't1~g'~~1 (PsI), i'~~17 li~'~l (Frag.), i'~~117 li~~ l~ '1 (TN), "which is north of Damascus." Thus, 7~07 or 7~O 7l't may mean both, "to the left" or "to the north, northward." The following are possible readings, vocalizations, and interpretations for this problematic phrase. 7·~9 7105 "':~)\"':f = 7l'ti~ip 7105 ,i,:;)\,i':f, "as descending to (the) left/north," where ,.,: is the infinitive absolute of "'. Cf. ~l11: ,':, "we surely came down" (Gen. 43:20); ,i:l '''!1':~ (qeri) , "from my descent to the pit/grave" (Ps. 30:4), also li~'~\li~~f i'1:~~ (Bakerdr ) - li~'~\li~P i"1:~~ (Allegro dr , plene), "from as it (masc.) descending in (the) left/north" (alt., see #14,3:11-12). 7·~9?\7b97 l't1'"1~~\l't1'"1'~ = 7l'ti~o/?\7l'ti~ip7 ;'1''"1~~\;'1''"1'~, "in/at a/the descent to (the) left/north"; cf. l't?)!'~7~ i111''"1;, "its (masc.) descent is from above" (see #44, 10:1-2). ;'1',; (MH, fern.), "descent" (cf. Lurie), is the same formation as m$'~;, "exit" (from the root l't:l" "to exit"); cf. 11~'~; ~'~ü, "exit of the water" (see #32, 7: 14). E.g., i111''"1; ... i11t$':l;, "his exit ... his descent" (baraita b. Zev. 53a); i11':7)!' ... i111''"1;, "his descent ... his ascent" (m. Toh. 4:8).38 7b9?\7·~97 l't·'l'f = 7l'ti~o/?\7l'ti~ip7 i'1i'f\;'·'1i'f (archaie), "as it descends to (the) left/north," where "it (masc.)" refers to the masculine l't'i?', "top/tower"; or 7b9?\7~97 l't11i'f = 7l'ti~o/?\7l'ti~ip7 ;'11i'f, "as it descends to (the) left/north," where "it (fern.)" refers to the feminine l't~t;l7?, "staircase"; i'1i'\;'·'1i' (masc.) and ;'11i' (fern., Qal pres. part. sg. from the root "', "to descend, go down") mean "he/she/it descends." Cf. '~'>.' '~'>.' C'~ ;'11\ "my eye, my eye flows (fern.) with watersltears" (Lam. 1:16); 37 When the spelling is "Kbi!' in the Masoretic Text, the Masorah notes " K?1?, "plene spelling with a waw"; e.g., Isa. 54:3. Also cf., ;,I("~i!''? "t;l~ :l?1 ;l'~''? C~t;I :l?, "The heart of a wise is to his right, but the heart of the fool is to his left" (Eccl. 10:2), vs. 'll11'~~ 'll "I("~i!', "to the right and to the left" (Zech. 12:6). And 1;~'~~0 1'~~ ,~, "to the right/south of (the) Jeshimon" (1 Sam. 23:24). Note, ,~, 'll, and -, are interchangeable. 38 ;,?~ (BH, MH), "ascent, step," the antonym of ;'1'!~, occurs three times in the Scroll (see #57, 12:4).

99

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 5

,iJ ''i.ii':;J, "like those descending (pI. masc. const.) to the pit/grave" (Prov.

"'11

1:12); ,'y.~ lli'ii~ü lli'3l,~ü '~1, "as far as the stairs that go down (pI. fern.) from the City of David" (Neh. 3:15). 'b97\7'~9? N1"J = 7Ni~o/7\7Ni~!p? i~·J.'~\jtj'J'~ (archaic), "in/at/by its (masc.) side/bottom to the left/north," referring to N'~ (masc.), "tower," or Ollt, Manos; or 7b97\7'~9? N1"J = 7Ni~ip7\7i~!p? j:J:t'J'~, "In/at/by its (fern.) side/bottom to (the) left/north," referring to N~!;)~ (fern.), "staircase" (cf. Allegro's misprinted reading). Cf. li!l'~'li!l;~ (i~'J.'~~ =) '1"J~ (Bakerd r) and li!l'~\li!l;~ (i~'J'~~ =) '1"'J~, (Allegrodr , plene) = i~'J.'~~ li!l'~'1i!l;~, "from in its (masc.) side in (the) north" (alt., see #14,3:11-12). "~9 '1$ 1'J.~~ = 'Ni~!p '1$ 1'J.~~ (cf. Beyer) or 'b97\'b9? N1"J = -;"I:t'J.~~ 'Ni~f?'7\'Ni~~? ;"I:ti~~\, "in/at/by (the) side/bottom to (the) leftlnorth." Cf. ;"17~: C'.t9i~7,· "to the back westward" (Exod. 26:27, 36:28), and O'Ni~~ ;"17~:, "at the back westward" (qeri, Ezek. 46:19). In the last two paragraphs, the feminine 1'J.:, ;"1:ti:, ;"I:t'J.;, and the dual O:.t9i: mean "side, back, bottom, base" (see #3, 1:7; #14, 3:11; #40, 9:8). 'b9 '1$ ~n:~ = 'Ni~!p 71$ ~n:~ or 'b97\ "~9? N1"J = -'iN~!P? ;"I:t1:~ 7iN~ip7\ (archaic, cf. Allegro),39 "at/by your (sg.) hand to (the) left," i.e., toy our left-hand side. These suggestions somewhat resemble ':J~iJ~ and ':JJ;1~iJ~, "as you (sg.) come," in the Scroll (see #16,4:3). Finally, the possible readings N1" and N1" have a final ka! in middle position; cf. l'!lfJIU = li!l~~~, "in/at/by (the) north of" (see #19, 4:11). Regarding )ale! for the archaic singular masculine possessive suffix, see #13, 3:9; for directions, #4, 1:11-12; #10, 2:10; #19, 4:11-12.

(1: 14) t.7;'~ 11;~~ Yi2ij2ü 1~ rfJ~, "three cubits above the ground" - The adjective rfJ~ (masc., pI. O'0'J~, fern. sg. ;"I;:fJ~, fern. pI. l1;;"I'J~, from the root iiJl, "be high"), "above," is spelled defectively in the Masoretic Text, while plene in Mishnaic Hebrew. It is often used with the prepositions 1~ and -~; e.g., "Saul .. , Oliv ,~~ rrJ~ (was taller than the rest of the people)" (1 Sam. 9:2); ;"I~"t!~~ ;"I?'y ;"IV'J~ü111'~Wü 1~ ;"IV'J~ ll1J~v111;;"I'J~ O:ni1'ü1, "and both horns were tall, but one was taller than the other, and the taller one came up second" (Dan. 8:3). Yi2ii2 (fern.) "ground, bottom," appears also in ;YRii2 ~y~, "in/at/by (the) side of its (masc.) bottom" (1:7); and ;YRii2~ ... 'iJ~, "in althe pit ... in its (masc.) bottom" (10:3-4). Yi2ii2 occurs eight tim es in the Masoretic Text, 39 In the Masoretic Text once 11~ is spelled with an exta he; ;'~1~ 'll ni~7 ;'~;:I1, "and it shall be for a sign on your hand" (Exod. 13:16). This is interpreted by the Rabbis as if it were !wo words, ;,:;t~ '~, "weak hand." Thus, the phylactery is placed on the left arm (see Rashi on b. Men. 37a and Exod. 13:9; Keli Yaqar, 'Or halfayyim, and Torah Temimah on Exod. 13:16). While in the Masoretic Text occasionally 1- is spelled as the latter is the commonly used form in the Dead Sea Scrolls. E.g., ;'~1~ '~~~" "and by the work of your hand" (lQSb 3:28), vs. i1~ ;'~ll,~" "and work of your hand" (Isa. 64:7).

;,;r,

100

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

while its synonym n~ (fern., "land, earth, country, territory, ground") 2504 times. And both are used with l~ and -~: e.g., YR~~tl '3.? Yj?~~tl7,?, "from the floor to the floor," vs. 111i'Wtl '3.? Yj?~~tl l~, "from the floor/ground to the joints," (1 Kgs 7:7 and 6:16, respeetively); n.~o l~ vs. n~07,?, "from the earth/ground" (Gen. 2:6 and Ezek. 41 :20, respeetively). In Mishnaie Hebrew Yj?~j? is more often used than n~. A third synonym, i17t1~, "earth" (fern.), appears in the SerolI, ~7t1~O lJ'W:t, "In/at/by the c1ay pit" (see #18, 4:9). The following examples resemble the phrase Yj?~~tll~ ri:q. He who suspends walls (of the sukkah) from above below, Y1l;tO l~ i10'~~ C~ C'IJ'?l? i1~'''~ (if [the wall is] above the ground three handbreadths), (the sukkah) is unfit (m. Suk. 1:9). And these may eat (from the produce on which they work) according to the Torah: He who works with what is standing in the field at the time of the end of processing, or on plucked produce Yi?'"1~tll~ (from the field) before processing is done, regarding what grows Y1l;tO l~ (from the ground; m. B.M. 7:2). (1:14-15) i~:;l\i~[:;l] l'Y.~"!15 ~t;?[~], "(there are) forty [ta]lents/talents of [si]lver" - ALLEGRO: i:JS 1'YJi~ ~O[:J], "forty talents of [sil]ver"; or simply "money," i.e., coin, so elsewhere for keseph; the final nun of l'YJi~ falls on the eut. 40 MILIK, BEYER, and WOLTERS: i:J[:J] l'YJi~ ~O[:J], "forty talents of silver. "41 LURIE: i:J[:J] 'YJ'~ ~O[:J].42 PIXNER and VERMES: "forty talents of silver. "43 WILMOT: 20 il1f 1;Il~~ 1~"1 ... l~~ l~ n.Rf ''1''1'7 n~v C'p, "my beloved had a vineyard in a fertile corner ... and he built a tower in its (mase.; i. e., the vineyard's) midst" (Isa. 5:1-2). l~'l1:t~\l~'l1f (= C~il1:t~\C~il1f)' "(and/plus) in their (mase.) midst," is in apposition to 1':;tY., "woods," i.e., and in the midst of the woods; ef. 1;1~ ':;I In C~il1:t~ c'W1P C?f nly.v, "sinee all the eongregation, all of them are holy, and the Lord is among them" (Num. 16:3). The waw is read as short-Iegged final nun. Pl1(J)(1) oeeurs five times in the Seroll (see Appendix E). 'i::1, "pit, eistern, " whieh oeeurs seven times in the SerolI, ean also be read as 1~::l\1i::l, "burial niehe" (with a short-Iegged final kaf), and as -,i::l '~::l\, "furnaee." Cf. '~::l 1il1f' "in (the) midst of (the) furnaee," and 1i1'11;1!$ '~::l, "to (the) midst of (the) furnaee" (Ezek. 22: 18,22 and 22:20, respeetively). Regarding '1J, see #3, 1:6; for 11::>, #59, 12:8; for '1::>, #17, 4:6. 26 One of the families was :'11':'1~ p "11$ '~~, "the ehildren of Arah ben Judah." n11( may be conneeted with the diffieult word m'l( (see #1, 1 :3). 27 This is also the ease in Aramaie. When Y>.' is "wood," usually Onkelos renders YI$, 1(1!1$ (e.g., Lev. 11 :32, 14:4; 'alef-'ayin and 'ayin-~ade interehanges); when y>.' means "tree," its Targum is 17'~, 1(~7'~ (e.g., Gen. 1:11,29).17'~ in Hebrew is eonsidered to be an and :17~ (he-nun Aramaie loanword (cf. Dan. 4:7), yet it may be a variant of 1i'l5, 1i?~, interchange in final position), all denoting certain type of "trees" (e.g., Hos. 4:13; Josh. 19:33, 24:26). Regarding the blessing on fruits of tree, the Mishnah uses the term 17'~, while the blessing has y>.'; "One (is obligated) to say before eating 17'~~ l'Ii"~ (fruits of the tree), '(Blessed are You ... ) ereator of Y>.'~ '"l~ (the fruit of the tree)'" (m. Ber. 6:1). 28 Cf. SB, 660b; ESh con 3, 1697a. 29 This is the qeri; the ketiv is il~l1.~ il'"lll,.

:1715,

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 8

123

Based on the above, the following are possible readings, voca1izations, and interpretations. They inc1ude many suggestions offered by the scholars. '~~\'i~'1~~'1i~\'i::l i:m:;n 1'~y.;:t '.r:q '~Q~tq 1J''1'~\IJ''1~~, "In/at/by althe eatacomb/tower whieh is in/at/by a/the courtyard of the houses of the trees (i.e., woodsheds), and in its (i.e., the eatacomb's/tower's) midst (there is) a pitleistem/burial-niehe/fumaee. " '~~\'i~\l~:;'\li:;'\'i::l l~n:t~ 1'~y.;:t 't1~ ,:gQ~tq 1J''1'~\IJ''1~~, "In/atlby althe eatacomb/tower whieh is in/at/by althe courtyard of the houses of the trees (i.e., woodsheds), plus in their (i.e., the woodsheds') midst (there is) a pit/eistem/burial-niehe/fumaee." Thus, in two plaees were objeets hidden. The plural 1'~y.;:t 't1~ shows that there were more than one "wood storage house" in this courtyard. The Mishnah names the wood storage of the Temple as C'~Y.;:t ,,'1, "shed of wood," and C'~Y.;:t n~!P7, "compartment for storage of wood." 1'~Y.;:t 't1~ may be identieal with C'~Y.;:t "'1 or C'~Y.;:t n~!p7 of the Temple (cf. Milik). Rabbi Joshua testified that once they found (human) bones C';3!.~ "'~ (in the wood storage of the Temple) and the sages ordered to collect (and remove) each bone separately, and everything remained (ritually) clean" (m. Ed. 8:5; cf. t. Ed. 3:3; b. Zev. lI3a) . ... (in the) northeast (of the Women's court in the Temple) was C'l3!.~ n:;Hb7 (the compartment of the wood storage) where the blemished (priests) removed the wormy parts from the wood (used for the altar)" (m. Mid. 2:5). If the reading is l~:;'\li:;', then the burial niehe was loeated in the eatacomb. If the reading is '~:;'\'i:;', then the fumaee was loeated in the eataeomb, and the woodshed was needed for the fumaee. If it is read as l~in:t\ then the pit, niche, or fumaee was loeated among the woodsheds. '~:;'\'i~\l~~'1i:~\'i::l i:,n:;n l'~3!.v F'l~ '~Q~tq 1J'liF~\IJ'IP or 1J'liF~\IJ'I~~ '~~\1i~\l~:;''1i~\1i::l tm:t~ 1'~Y. (IiJT;1~\n~T;1~ =) nln~ ,:gQ~tq, "In/at/by a/the eatacomb/tower whieh is in/at/by a/the courtyard of the wood offering(s), and in its (i.e., the eatacomb's/tower's) midst (there is) a pit/eistem/burialniehe/fumaee." Perhaps it refers to a courtyard were the offered wood were stored for the altar of the Temple. -'i~\ 1~~\ li~\'i::l t:jn:t~ 1'~Y. (IiJ-t1~\;'1-t1~ =) nln~\;'ln~ '~Q~tq 1J''1'~\IJ''1~~ '~~\, "In/at/by a/the eatacomb/tower which is in/at/by the Courtyard of the Gift(s), (there are) trees, and in its (i.e., the eatacomb/tower) midst (there is) a pit/eistem/burial-niehe/fumace." IiJ-t1~\;'1-t1~ ,:gQ, "Courtyard of the Gift(s)," may refer to a plaee where Temple gifts were collected. -,i:;,\ 1~~\ li~\1i::l l~'n:t~ 1'~Y. (Iil-t1~\;,~-t1~ =) nln~\;'ln~ ,:gQ~tq 1J''1'~\IJ''1~~ '~~\, "In/at/by althe eatacomb/tower whieh is in/at/by the Courtyard of the Gift(s), (there are) trees, plus in their (i.e., the trees') midst (there is) a pit/cistem/burial-niehe/fumaee." Thus, in two locations were objeets hidden.

124

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

-'i:l'1~:l'1i:l"tJ i:il1f ('~~3lij"~"~3lij =) 'l'lyn lJ;1~".tl~ ,~t!~~ lJ'i~~'IJ'i~~ '~:l' or -'i:l'1~:l'1i:l"i:l i:il1f ('~~3l"~"~3l =) 'l'IY n~J;1~ ,~t!~~ lJ'i~~'IJ'i~~

'~:l', "In/at/by althe catacomb/tower which is in/at/by althe courtyard of Mattai/Matiah (the) Ezionite/Ezenite, and in its (i.e., the catacomb's/tower's) midst (there is) a pit/cistem/burial-niche/fumace." Accordingly, the courtyard belonged to or was named after a certain person. '~:l"i:l'1~:l'1i:l"i:l 1:)l1:;n 1'~3i.ij'l"~3lij 'tl~ ,~t!~~ lJ'i~~'IJ'i~~, "In/at/by a/the catacomb which is in/at/by althe courtyard of the dead of Ezion/Ezen, and in its (i.e., the catacomb's) midst (there is) a pit/cistem/burial-niche/fumace." Accordingly, the courtyard was a cemetery that had a catacomb, and in the catacomb there was a pit, eistern, burial niche, or fumace. Cf. the ludeo-Aramaic phrase, l1V~ ,~t!~ M'!.J;1~ "n.~, "he went after hirn in the cemetery" (b. Ber. 18b). '~:l,'i:l' 1~:l' 1i :l"i:l 1~'11~~ 1'~3i.ij'l"~3lij 'tl~ ,~t!~~ lJ'i~~'IJ'i~~, "In/at/by a/the catacomb which is in/at/by a/the courtyard of the dead (pI.) of Ezion/Ezen, and in their (i.e., the graves') midst (there is) a pit/cistem/burialniche/fumace." Accordingly, the courtyard was a cemetery that had a catacomb, and the middle of the cemetery there was a pit, eistern, burial niche, or fumace. Perhaps in both places were hidden certain objects. '~:l"i:l'1~:l'1i:l"i:l i~'l1~~ l'~3i.ij'l"~3lij 'tll? ,~t!~~ lJ'i~~'IJ'i~~, "In/at/by a/the catacomb/tower which is in althe courtyard of the men of Ezion/Ezen, and in its (i.e., the catacomb's/tower's) midst (there is) a pit/cistem/burialniche/fumace." Accordingly, the courtyard belonged to or was named after the "men of Ezion or Ezen. "

(2:6) 1'7;> [i]:l 'i:l, "(there is) a pit/cistem, in [it] (there are vessels" - The reconstruction seems certain; cf. 1'7;> i:l ... 'i:l~"i~f' "in a/the pit/cistem ... in it (there are) vessels" (see #9, 2:7-8; #18, 4:9-10). There are minor differences between the drawings. BAKER: bet/kaj, a small waw/yod, a small dalet/res, a letter sized space, a letter fragment that could be bet/kaf/nun, a 'good' letter size space, a damaged ber/kaj, a damaged lamed, yod, and a final nun. MILIK: ber/kaj, waw/yod, daler/reS, a letter size space, a damaged bet/kaj, a 'good' letter size space, a damaged bet/kaj, lamed, yod, and a final nun. ALLEGRO: bet/kaj, a somewhat small-headed res, a short-headed res, two-three letter-size spaces, a damaged ber/kaj, a narrow space, a damaged bet/kaf/mem, a damaged lamed, yod, and a final nun. In addition, Allegro's drawing indicate a crack that runs through the first three letters and the space following them into the next words, of which all the three drawings show that the top is damaged by a lacuna. These words have been analyzed as folIows. MILIK: l"~ [']~ ,,~. 30 ALLEG30 Milik, 286.

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 8

125

RO: l":ltl~ n:J, "a bath measure of untithed goods. "31 LURIE: l":JÖZ) 11:J (as Allegra).32 WOLTERS: 1"~ 1":J, "in the recess: vessels."33 ALLEGROrev, PIXNER, BEYER, GARCIA MARTINEZ, and VERMES follow Milik, while WISE agrees with Wolters. 34 Finally, according to the drawings of Baker and Milik, ~":J (= 1·J.~~), "in the bottom" (cf. Wolters), is asound reading; cf. iY~ ... "1;0 ":J~\":J~ 'YRij2, "In the large cistem ... in/at/by a/the side of its bottom" (see #3, I :6-7); ii.~~ .. , 'IJ'!~:;I, "In/at/by/between/among the catacombs of Horan ... in the bottom" (alt., see #40,9:7-8).

1"'"0

(2:6) l'Y~l!11'!~:;l 9g~11'7~, "(an unspecified type and an undisclosed number of) vessels, plus seventy talents of silver"; or "(an unspecified type and an undisclosed number of) vesse1s, plus silver (totaling) seventy talents. " 1'!~:;l, "talents," can also be read as l''1;l~, "in pitchers," as in other six cases in the Scrall (see Appendix A). Accordingly, l'Y~l!1 l''1;l~ 9g~1 1'7~ means, "(an unspecified type and an undisclosed number of) vessels, plus (an undisclosed amount of) silver in seventy pitchers"; or "(an unspecified type and an undisclosed number of) vessels, plus seventy silver (pieces/shekels) in (undisclosed number of) pitchers. " Finally, the middle letter of the ward in question is a small sized rd or dalet; it is an obvious scribal correction. In ALLEGRO'S drawing this small letter may be the lower part of a lamed of which most of the upper vertical line is missing, i.e., 1'7;)~, "in vessels." Accordingly, l'Y~l!11'7;)~ 9g~11'7~ means, "(an unspecified type and an undisclosed number of) vessels, plus (an undisclosed amount of) silver in seventy vessels"; or "(an unspecified type and an undisclosed number of) vessels, plus seventy silver (pieces/shekels) in (an undisclosed number of) vessels." 31 32 33 34 Wise,

Allegro, 35, 139-40 on. 44-45. Lurie, 69-70, and on. 3-4 (in the translation ,:J is a printing error for I1J). Wolters,34-35. Allegro reV , 21; Pixner, 346; Garcia Martinez, 461; Beyer, 225-26; Vennes, 374; 192.

ITEM 9 '"'T~il

'YfUil 'l:lfU ,,::1::1

i""'

1'?:J ,::1 N'OYfUn m~N AI 'OY 1',:J:J '::1fU Ni'T~::1' 2:7 2:8 2:9

2:7 2: 8 2:9

In the eistern which is opposite to the eastern gate, at a distance of nineteen cubits, in it (there are) vessels; and in the channel which is in it, (there are) ten (unspecified) talents. (Code:) AI. COMMENTARY

Since this item refers to two separate deposits, it may be subdivided into Item 9a (2:7-8) - a deposit hidden in the cistern, and Item 9b (2:9) - a deposit hidden in the irrigation channel of the cistern. MILIK, PIXNER, WOLTERS, GARCIA MARTINEZ, VERMES, and WISE use this approach, while ALLEGRO, LURIE, and BEYER consider them as a single unit. 1 (2:7) 'lJ1T1P;:J ':lW;:J 'H~ 'iJ~\'iJ~, "In althe cistern/pit which is opposite to the eastern gate" - This phrase consists of the preposition bet prefixed to a noun ('iJ~\'iJ~), the relative sin prefixed to a preposition (';~~), the definite article he prefixed to a noun (':lW;:J), and the definite article he prefixed to an adjective modifying the previous noun ('lJ1T1P;:J). Cf. n?~;:J 'iJ~ lli"3l.~;:J l1lJt1~, "in/at/by the salt pit which is be10w the steps" (see #6, 2:1); ~1iin;:J l1lJt1W 'iJ~\'iJ~, "In/at/by a/the cistern which is below the city-wall" (see #10, 2:10); and (O';!!;);:J =) 1':;lt:l;:J l1lJt1W '~re~\'~i?~, "In/at/by althe grave which is below the thresholds" (see #53, 11 :8). 'iJ, which occurs seven times in the Scroll, can also be read as '~!)\'i!), "furnace" (the bet is read as a kaf), and 1~!)\1i!), "burial niche" (the res is read as a short-Iegged final kaf; see #3, 1:6; #8, 2:6; #17, 4:6; #59, 12:8). 'lJ1T1P;:J ':lW;:J '~~W, "which is opposite to the eastern gate," resembles the verse n1T1P? O'~;:J ':lW 'H ':l, "up to opposite the Water Gate on the east" (Neh. 3:26); also li'73l;:J nt1~;:J ,~~, "opposite to the upper entrance" (see #3, 1 Milik, 286; Pixner, 346; Wolters, 34-35; "Analysis," 248; Garcia Martinez, 461; Vermes, 374; Wise, 192; Allegropr; Allegro, 35; Allegrorev , 22; Lurie, 70-71; Beyer, 22526.

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 9

1:8);

pi'~ 11~~

'H,

127

"in front of (the) Garden of Zadok (see #52, 11 :6).

'l:t1TIPLl 'YWLl, "the eastern gate," suggests that this city had more than one

gate. Nehemiah mentions the Eastern Gate of Jerusalern, :"I:~~~ p :"I:y,7,l~ n1TIPLl 'YW ,~·V, "Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, guard of the East Gate" (Neh. 3:29). The Mishnah talks about the Eastern Gate of the Temple (m. Mid. 1:13).2 In addition, the next item refers to the wall (lot~inLl) of an unnamed city (2:10). Thus, one can reasonable assurne that the unnamed city in both items is Jerusalern or the Temple (cf. Milik, Allegro, Pixner, Wise).

(2:8) (:"I'J.o/)l 31W1;l =) lot'J.9Y,W1;ll1ir.l~ Pin1, "at a distance of nineteen cubits" The adjective Pin1 (masc., :"IRin" fern.) means "distant, removed" (from the root pn" "to be distant"). While this adjective occurs 85 times in the Masoretic Text, it is not associated with specific measurement. However, in Mishnaic Hebrew, it often does. E.g., ni~~ "~3r,f i17'i'9iJ n'~~ vinl i1;~ ([when the person to be executed] was at a distance of about ten cubits from the stoning house) ... i17'i'9iJ n'~~ vinl i1;~ ni~~ Y~l~ ([when] he was at a distance offour cubits from the stoning house)" (m. San. 6:2-3).

has been interpreted as follows. ALLEGRopr: lot'031IZ1:"1 for :"1'031 IZ1IZ1 (?), "six(?)teen." ALLEGRo: ~'O 311Z111, "nineteen." The 10ss of Cayin is due to weakening of the gutturals. 3 MILIK: lot,031 1Z1li, "fifteen"; alternatively ~'031IZ111, "nineteen."4 LURIE: ~'O 311Z111 (= :"I11Z131 311Z111); loss of cayin. 5 THORION: ~'031IZ111 (?); in the spelling of ~'o either the Cayin has been lost, or it is a haplography. 6 GARCIA MARTINEZ and VERMES agree with Milik, while PIXNER, WOLTERS, BEYER, and WISE follow Milik's alternate reading. 7 Regarding this number, the drawings differ. BAKERdr and MILIKdr: lot'031IZ111, a single word having some spaces before and after it. ALLEGROdr: 311Z111 is followed by aspace, then a vertical dotted line passing through the co1umn where the Scroll was cut open. The cut removed the left side of the samekh of the word ~'o. When the drawings of the two halves were matched, the left half of lines 7 and 8 somehow moved lower than the right half of the column. As a result, ~'o is about one-half cm. higher than the word 311Z111. ~'J.9Y,W1;l is a contracted form of ~'J.9)l 31W1;l (= :"I'J.o/)l 31W1;l), where the two Cayins merged, while the sin and samekh interchanged; cf. :"I'J.o/Y,~~ (= 31~~ ~'031IZ111

2 A number of C'i)!o/ (pI. of 'l!~) are mentioned in the Temple SerolI, e.g., ;rp;,~ 'l!~ ... li)/~t!i 'l!~ ... , "Judah Gate ... Simeon Gate ... Reuben Gate" (TS 44:7-11). 3 Allegro, 35; 140 n. 48; Allegro rev , 22. 4 Milik, 286-87, 229 B-12; MilikE , 139. 5 Lurie, 70-71 and n. 2. 6 Thorion, 167 (in the transcription the iin should be a samekh; a typographical error). 7 Garcia Martinez, 461; Vermes, 374; Pixner, 346; Wolters, 34-35; Beyer, 225-26; Wise,192.

P~~"1 'l!~

128

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

i11.ip3l), "seventeen" (1 :4), and K1.o/i'~ (= i11.ip3l flji'~), "thirteen" (9:2). Contracted teens are known from Aramaic, Syriac, Mandaic, etc., yet they do not occur in the Hebrew literature. KI.9 YW1;1, the reading of Allegro's drawing, can be explained as: (1) a non-contracted form of a contracted teen, such occurs in Aramaic; (2) an Aramaie loanword; (3) the missing Cayin is due to the loss of gutturals (cf. Allegro, Lurie); (4) or a scribal error (cf. Thorion). The reading of K1.9 YW1;1 does not change the fact that Copper Scroll Hebrew uses contracted teens (see Appendix B). (2:9) KRT1p~~\KRT/?~~, "and in althe channel" - ALLEGROpr: Ki"l.l:n, "and in the silt"; Ki"l.l, literally "soft and spongy substance" ; cf. i'i'1.l (?). ALLEGRO: Ki"l.lJ" "and in the hollow."8 MILIK: Ki'Tl.lJ', "And in the canal." r"i'T1.l (pI.) occurs later in the Scroll (10:3); also, Kl1i"Tl.l is the Targum for i1'Yl1. 9 LURIE: Ki"l.lJ' for i1i',l.lYJ, (loss of Cayin), "and in the depth."lo Surprisingly, GREENFIELD takes "strong exception " to Milik' s interpretation of Ki'Tl.l. ll The other scholars, inc1uding ALLEGROrev, agree with Milik. 12 In the Masoretic Text i1?Y.1;1 (fern.), "(irrigating) channel," occurs nine times. Seven of these cases the Targumim render K1)R'T/? (pI. abs.; if singular absolute, it should be vocalized as KJ;lj?'T/?) and l1j?'T/? (sg. const.);13 once there are three versions, one of them is K:~ '~''''!Q (= c:~ '~''''!Q\ '~~'Q in Hebrew), "ditches of water" (Job 38:25); and once is explained in a Midrashic manner (Ezek. 41 :4). In the verse i11i'73lv i1~1.~0 11?Y.J;1:;1 (Trg. K-tI'7'Y. KJ;I~'1.~ l1j?'T~:;I), "in the canal of the upper pool" (2 Kgs 18:17; Isa. 36:2; cf. Isa. 7:3), i1~1.~ is a pool built from stone and lime into the ground, and i1?Y.1;1 is a ditch dug in the ground in which the water flows into the pooI.I4 Rashi renders i1?y'1;1, f~'lj, and f''''!Q as 1'!UU" fossed, fosed in OldFrench, "ditch, trench. "15 Jastrow connects KJ;lj?'TI?, "irrigating channel," with KR'!, "sprinkler, hose, skin for wine or water. "16 Kohut translates l1i'Tl.l 8 Allegro, 35, 140 n. 51. 9 Milik, 286, 244 C-72 (:"Ipm is a typographical error for ~PT~); MilikE , 139. 10 Lurie, 70-71 and n. 3. 11 Greenfield, 139b (in the list 71 is a typographical error for 72). 12 Allegro rev , 22; Pixner, 346; Bendavid, 1,99; Sharvit in "'Iyyunim," 134. Wolters, 34-35; Garcia Martinez, 461; Beyer, 225-26; Vermes, 374; Wise, 192. 13 1 Kgs 18:32,35,38; 2 Kgs 18:17, 20:20; Isa. 7:3, 36:2. Some of these are mentioned by Milik and Sharvit. 14 See Rashi, Radak, Ralbag, and Me~udat Zion on this verse. The terms ~::I'J, 1"'>':"1, and Im',>,:"1 occur in the Scroll (2:13, 1 :8, 12:4, respectively). 15 See Rashi on :"I,>,n, 1 Kgs 18:32; 2 Kgs 18:17; Isa. 7:3, 36:2; on l'"n, Dan. 9:25; on l",n, b. B.B. 107b. See also Catane (llOa); Greenberg (84, 87, 93, 102, 226); Gukovitzki (80 #ll75). 16 Jastrow, 396a, 755a.

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 9

129

- 1ot11i"'~ as Graben, Wasserbehalter ("ditch, cistem").17 According1y, lotj?Ttt:1j?'Ttt is a cognate or 10anword of the Aramaic (lot)I1V"~, and synonymous to :1?Y.T;I, f~'lJ, f''''!lJ, and lot:~ '~''''!lJ. Regarding :1::l,::1, see #11, 2:l3. lotmtt (= :1j?'Ttt, fern.), "water channe1," occurs 1ater in the plural form l1ivTtt (see #45, 10:3). It is either derived from the root fami1y :1V' - V" - VH - VV', "to bind, join, forge, refine," with a prefixed 10cative mem; 18 or from the root i'T~, re1ated to :m~ and 'O~ (gimmel-kaf-qoJ, as weH as zayin-samekh interchanges). The verbal forms of 'O~ (BH) and l'~ (MH, JA) mean "mixing drinks," whi1e the nominal, "mixture of drink. "19 The latter is a biblical hapax legomenon, l!~tI 'liry;. ,~, "the mixture of drink shall not be 1acking" (Songs 7:3). In the Targumic explanation of this phrase, "(it is) not wanting 1ot';11ot1N1 'i~ (the water of the Great River) which flows from (the Garden) of Eden," connotes flowing river. :1j?'Ttt can be compared to :1~'Ttt (fern., MH), "mixture" of wine with water; e.g., Oi;:)tI 11~'Ttt '1.:;> l'~, "wine, enough for the mixture of a (fuH) cup" (m. Shab. 8:1; etc.). (2:7-9) i::l~ loti?T7p~~\loti?Ttt:;1~ .•• 1'7~ i::l ..• 'i::l;\'i::1~ - Both i::l, "in it (masc.)," and i::l~, "which is in it (masc.)," refer to ,i::l (usually masc.), "pit/cistem"; the first means "in althe cistem/pit (there are) vessels" (see #18, 4:9-10), and the second tens that "a/the channel is located in/at/by the cistem/pit"; cf. Y~1. '7.:;> i::l ••. '~re;\'~i?~, "In a/the grave of ... , in it (there are) dedicated vesse1s" (see #54, 11:9-10). In these cases i::l, "in it (masc.)," refers to ,i::l and '~i? (masc.), "grave," respectively. Therefore, 'i::l;\'i::1~ should be rendered as, "in a/the pit/cistem," rather than "at/by althe pit/cistem." Also cf. lot'::l~\lot~~ IJ''''!~;\IJ''''!~; lotl\ftl ,~ l";\l'"1~, "In/at/by (the) Din of the Shaveh/Plain/Ruler, in/at/by a/the catacomb/tower which is in it (fem./masc.)" (8:14). The form ;'\'( ••• ... )::1(lU) ......:1 means, "in (althe) ...... (wh ich is) in it(s ... )" (see #3, 1:6-7; #11, 2:13-14; #37, 8:14; #43,9:14-16; #45, 10:4). (2:9) .:11 '~3l1'",!~:;l, "(there are) ten (unspecified) talents. (Code:) .:11" - The Greek letters may specify the material. It is possible to read l'",!~:;l as l"~~, "in pitchers," as in six other cases in the text. Accordingly, the meaning cou1d be: (1) An undisclosed amount of pitchers contain ten unspecified objects, perhaps coins. (2) Unspecified objects are in ten pitchers. (3) The content of the ten pitchers is encoded as .:11. See Appendices A and C. 17 AC 5, 102b. 18 It may be connected to C'jl'T (BH, pl.), "prisoner's chain" (e.g., Isa. 45:14); i"t (MH), "water-skin," ;"IR'! (MH), "duty," and i'i?! (MH), "water-skin maker or carrier." 19 The Targumic forms are: ;'1~1J n~!~~, "and she mixed her wine" (Prov. 9:2); n~'~ Xl)T1~, "bitter mixture" (Ps. 75:9); etc. See AC 5, 98b-99b; SB, 446, 478b-79a; BY 4, 2873b; EShdic 3, 1274a; I. Avinery, Kakh batTanakh! (1978),37.

ITEM 10

nmll" ,,~~ l":::l >,"on 1ll1~ ~Oil nnn ,ntot'~

n'T~n 1~ tot~,nn

ll1ll1 ~O:::l "ll1

""lil

2: 10 2: 11 2: 12

2:10 In the cistern which is below the city wall, on the east 2:11 at the peak ofthe rock, (there are) six silver pitchers. 2: 12 Its entrance is below the great threshold. COMMENTARY (2: 10) ~~,nü 11lJtlllt 'tl~\":1~, "In/at/by a/the pit/cistern which is below the city wall" - cf. m,y,~ü 11lJtlllt n?~ü ":1~, "In/at/by the salt pit which is below the steps" (2:1); (C'~Qü =) PQü 11lJtlllt '~i?~\'~i?~, "In/at/by althe grave which is below the thresholds" (11:8); 'lJ·n~ü '~Wü 'Hllt ":l~\":1~, "In a/the eistern which is opposite to the eastern gate" (2:7). Regarding ":1, see #3, 1:6; for 11n11, #25, 6:5; #30, 7:8; #49, 10:15-16. ;,\~~,nü (fem., BH, MH), "(city) wall, fortification," is from the root ;,~n, which in Arabic and South-Arabian means "to protect." Its cognates are: l:Jumitu (Akkadian), IJmt (U garitic), 11~n (Moabite), and 11'~n (Phoenician).l The cache reported in this item is located in a eistern beneath a ;,~,n, "city wall," of an unnamed city, which may be Jerusalem; cf. ;,~,nü 1~ C'~~7, "within the wall (of Jerusalem)" (m. Kel. 1:8; cf. Milik, Allegro, Pixner, Beyer, Wise; see #9, 2:7). This Mishnah also mentions the "lJ, "rampart," which was within the wall of Jerusalem. "lJ as an alternate reading occurs in the Scroll, and it may be connected with the ;,~,n of this item (see #49, 10:15).2 (2:10) n1T~ü 1~, "on/at/to/from the east" - Both Biblical and Mishnaic Hebrew employ the form of -;, 1~, "from the," plus a direction. However, in Mishnaic Hebrew it also means "on/at/to the" direction. Thus, n1T~ü 1~, "from the east," also means "on/at/to the east" or "eastward." The latter is essentially the same as n1T~?\n1T~7, "to (the) east" or "eastward" (1 :2, 1 See BDB, 327; EShdic 2,730; UT, 397b (#876); WUS, 104-05 (#944); KAlI, 5, 33; 2, 41 (#26 A 113,17; #18121). 2 For a thorough study of ;,~;nl of the Temple, see E. Eibeschütz, - ;,~,m ,'n"

"l}

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 10

131

6:9). Likewise, l;g,tI l~, "from the north" (Ezek. 1:4; see #4, 1:11, #21, 5:2); :JlY.~tll~, "from the west" (Dan. 8:5; see #56, 12:1); C;'1t11~, "from the south" (see #44, 9:17-10:1), '~lY.~tI ,~tI l~, "from the western side" (see #48, 10:12-13), all could mean "on/atlto the" direction. 3 E.g., The Temple Mount was ill9l't nilo(~ tz1~~ ?3! ill9l't nilo(~ tz1~~ (five hundred cubits by five hund red cubits; cf. Ezek. 42:20). Its largest (open area) was Ci'1o 1~ (at the south), its second (largest open area) was nlT7p0 17.' (at the east), its third (largest open area) was 1ig~0 17.' (at the north), and the least (open area) was 17.' :l1ll,~0 (at the west; m. Mid. 2: 1). (The produce ot) the fourth year vineyard was brought to Jerusalem if it was within one day journey in any direction. And what is its border? Elath 17.' Ci'1o (southward) and Aqrabah 1ig~0 1~ (northward), Lod :l1ll,~0 1~ (westward) and the Jordan nlF~0 1~ (eastward). And when the produce became abundant (in Jerusalem, the sages) ordained that it could be redeemed (even) near the il/?in (wall of Jerusalem) (m. Ma'as. Sh. 5:2).4 Thus, the first phrase of this item could mean: (I) "In the cistern which is below the wall from the east," i. e., by approaching the wall from east there is the cistern. (2) "In the cistern which is be10w the wall to the east," i.e., the cistern is below the eastern section of the wall. (3) "In the cistern which is below the wall eastward," i.e., the cistern is eastward of the wall. (2: 11) 31?~tI l~f' "in/at/by althe peak of the rock" - This is the reading of the scholars, except MILIKorg, who reads 31'0 mlZ.':J, "in a place hollowed out of the rock. " 5 31?~tll~ (const., same as 31?~tI 't?' l~, abs.), "tooth of the rock," means "peak of the rock." It occurs three times in the Masoretic Text and once in Ben-Sira. 6 Its Targum is N~'~1 N~~, "the tooth/peak of the rock" (1 Sam. 14:14). Similarly, Nl~öl N~'~ (BTA), "the tooth of the hilI," means "peak of the hilI" (b. Git. 68b). Their shortened forms are l~ and N~'~. 7 31?\:1t1 appears later in the Scroll, 31?\:1t1 !VN'" "top of the rock" (see #52, 11:5)'. In Mishnaic Hebrew 31?9, could mean a clump of earth; e.g., 17'N i~y' 31?~tll 'V1 ;g9l?' ,;~y. 31?~tll 'i23?~t?', "a tree which is uprooted and the

,:1,

l"on ,'nm n'Tlm n,~,n ,I("tu I("tu in Sinai 100 (1987/88), 74-86. 3 Regarding the directions in the Scroll, see #19,4:11. Bendavid (1,99) states that in the Copper Scroll the forms n,mn 1~, p!llm 1~ (1: 11), ,~n 1~ (10: 12), ,n'T~l~ (3: 11) are Biblical Hebrew, l'!l~:I (3:11, 12:10), m!l~:I (4:2) are Mishnaic, while m!l~:I~ (3:8) is a hybrid. However, Bendavid (2, 454, 636) contradicts hirnself by listing cases where Biblical uses -n~ (e.g., n'~rll~, "l!v~), while Mishnaic Hebrew uses -n 1~ (e.g., n'~01~, 1~). 4 This Mishnah also mentions n~;n, the wall of Jerusalern. 5 BA 19 (1956), 62; SVT (1957): 22 ('>"0 is a typographical error for >,'0). 6 1 Sam. 14:14 (twice); Job 39:28. M.H. Segal, Sefer Ben-Sira hasSalem (1972), 207. Sharvit mention the Masoretic occurrences of >"on ltu, but not Ben-Sira ('''Iyyunim," 129). 7 E.g., 1 Sam. 14:5 and its Targum; m. Oh. 8:2. ":I':lO~

"l!v

132

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

clump of earth is with it, a river swept it away and the clump of earth is with it" (m. 'Orl. 1:3). Altematively Y?O;' 1IV:1 can be read as Y71?, n'~~\lJ'~~\lJ~lU~, "in/at/by althe (deep) pit of (the) rock" (cf. Milikorg), i.e., the final nun is read as wawlyod, the he as !Jetltaw, followed by a word separation. The first word is in the construct state, and the expected definite article is missing, i.e., Y7~t1; cf. ~~1l:c1t1 n'~~\lJ'~~\lJ~lU~, "in/at/by a/the clay/earth (deep) pit" (see #18, 4:9). The phrase Y71?, n'~~\lJ~lU~\lJ~lU~ resembles ~~'~1 ~lin~, "in the cave of the rock," Targum Neophyti for Y7~~, "in the rock" (Num. 24:21; see #4, 1:11-12). Regarding n'IV\n'IV\M1IV, see #13,3:8. (2:11) lUtP 91?,f. ?~ 1'1:;), "(there are) six silver pitchers," appears again later (7:10); cf. 1'1:;) Y~~, "seven pitchers" (9:2-3). The first word have been analyzed as follows. ALLEGROpr: battin (i.e., l'n:1; 2:11); "bars" (i.e., 1":1; 7: 10). ALLEGROrpr: "bars" (i.e., 1',:1; 2: 11). ALLEGRO and LURIE: 1',:J, "pitchers" (2:11, 7:10).8 MILIK: 1'1:1, "bars" (2:11, 9:3).9 PIXNER: "bars" (i.e., 1'1:1; 2:11); "pitchers" (i.e., l":J; 7:10).10 THORION: 90:J ?IV 1',:1, "silver bars," where silver indicates the substance of the bar; cf. ?IV 1"0 r1:1, "sheets of byssus" (m. Yoma 3:4). Altematively, 90:J ?IV 1',:J, "silver pitchers," where 90:J is either the composition of the pitchers or nature of their content. l1 WOLTERS: l":J, "jars" (2: 11, 7: 10, 9:3).12 WISE: "jars" (i.e., l":J; 2: 11, 7: 10).13 The other scholars agree with Milik. 14 1'1:;) Y~~ means "seven pitchers," while lUtP 91?,f. ?~ 1'1:;) (same as the construct lOtQ ~~~ '''1.~) could mean either "six silver pitchers," or "six pitchers (containing) silver (pieces/sheke1s)." Since often in the Scroll ka! and bet are indistinguishable, 1'1:;) (= C'1~, pI. of 1:;), "pitcher") can also be read as 1'1~ (= C'1~, pI. of ,~, "bar"; cf. Allegropr, Milik). Likewise, '~:;l, "talent," can be read as ';l~, "in a pitcher" (see #5, 1: 15), and in seven cases 1'!~:;l, "talents," as 1'1;l~, "in pitchers" (see Appendix A).15 Accordingly, 1'1~ Y~~ means "seven bars," and lUtP ~I?,f. ?~ 1'1~ (same as the construct ~I?,f. '1.~ lUtP), "six silver bars." Although ,~ is masculine, while lUtP and Y~~ are feminine, perhaps for the compiler(s) of the Scroll, ,~ (like ':;) was a double 8 Allegro, 35, 45, 152 n. 150; Allegrorev, 22, 24; Lurie, 72, 96. 9 Milik, 286, 291-94; MilikE, 139-141; also (in this item) , BA 19 (1956), 62; svr (1957), 22. 10 Pixner, 346, 349. 11 Thorion, 171. 12 Wolters, 34-35, 44-45, 48-49. 13 Wise, 192, 194. 14 Garcia Martinez, 461-62; Beyer, 225-27, 229-30; Vermes, 374, 376. 15 Interestingly, a Midrash states, "Scripture says, 'and Jacob remained i'l~7 (alone)' (Gen. 32:25). Do not read as i'l~~, rather as i'~~ (for his pitcher)"; cf. Da'at haD.eqenim, and Torah Shelemah on the above verse. The laUer adds, it is a bet-ka! interchange.

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 10

133

gender noun (see #38, 9:3). (2: 11-12) l;!,,~tI 9QtI 11lJ.tl '11}$'~ roW, "six. Its entrance is below the great threshold" - There are some differences in the drawings. BAKERdr : '111(:J !Z1!Z1 11n11, only the 'foot' of the second taw can be seen due to a sm all lacuna. MILIKdr: 11n11 1111(':J !Z1!Z1, the yod is a short vertical dotted line, the second taw's right leg is a dotted line, while the upper part and the left leg except its foot is missing due to a lacuna. ALLEGRodr: 11n111 11'1(1l !Z1!Z1, the two adjacent letters )ale! and waw are at least 30 percent smaller than the previous mem and the following taw, a good letter space separates these two words, apart of the top of the second taw is missing due to the lacuna. The first three words have been analyzed as follows. ALLEGROpr, ALLEGRO, and LURIE: 11n111 1111(1l !Z1!Z1, "six hundreds ... and under." 16 MILIKorg: !Z1!Z1 111(1l, "six hundred. "17 MILIK: 11n11 1111(;:J !Z1!Z1, "six ... , at its entrance, (hidden) under."18 BENDAVID: The Scroll uses 1111(':J (BH), rather than 1110'l:::l (MH). However, elsewhere Bendavid lists :'11(':J and :'11('l' as Talmudic forms versus the Biblical 1(1:J and 111(l.I 9 SHARVIT: :'11(':J is both Biblical and Mishnaic Hebrew. 20 The other scholars, inc1uding ALLEGROrev, agree with Milik. 21 Concerning Allegra's drawing, if one disregards the space between the words and reads the mem as bet (cf. l'~jl1(:J;l~ vs. l'~jlv '.t1~; see #8, 2:5), it may be reconciled with Milik's version in one of the following ways. (1) roW 11lJ.tl ('11}$'~ =) 11111(:J - the first waw may represent a Tiberian long qama~, while the yod is missing due to a defective spelling. (2) ('11}$'~ =) 111'1(:J roW 11lJ.tl - the first waw is read as a yod, plus the letters )ale! and yod are transposed. For both solutions compare the spelling of 111(1:J:'1 instead of 11'1(~tI (see #1, 1:2). The reading l;!"~tI 9QtI 11lJ.t1 '11}$'~ ••• ":l~\'tl:;1 is supported by similar usages in the ScraIl: 11'~lY,~tI ~~~tI 11lJ.t1 (rl1)}$'~ =) ~1)}$'~ ... 11'~~\11'f?i:;1, "In/at/by a/the deep pit ... its entrance is be10w the western corner (tower)" (see #13, 3: 8-1 0) and 1(1,no/tl Pl$V 11lJ.t1 :J1~tl91:ptl l~ '11}$'~ ... 1(':J7?~, "In/at/by a/the alley ... its entrance is from/to the city/wst" (see #56, 11:16-12:12). The singular masculine possessive suffix ,- of '11}$'~, "its (masc.) entrance," refers to ":l, "cistern, pit" (usually masc.), i.e., the entrance of the cistern. Likewise, '11}$'~ refers to :Jf~~tI 11'~ (masc.), and 16 Allegro, 35; Lurie, 72. In Allegro's translation the last phrase of this item is bracketed, which may indicate that Allegro considers that it is out of place, or simply the brackets are typographical errors. 17 BA 19 (1956), 62; SVT (1957), 22. 18 Milik, 286; MilikE , 139. 19 Bendavid 1,99; 2, 443, 494. 20 '''Iyyunim,'' 132. 21 Allegrorev , 22; Pixner, 346; Wolters, 34-35; Garcia Martinez, 461; Beyer, 225-26; Vermes, 374; Wise, 192.

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

134

"its (fern.) entrance," refers to l1'W, "deep pit" (fern. in the Scroll). In addition, in two cases the text could be read as 1J;11$'~, "your entrance" (see #16, 4:3). 9Q (masc.) is a "threshold" located at the entrance to a house; e.g., N':' 11~~t1 9Q~ i11$~, "she came to the threshold of the house" (1 Kgs 14: 17). Also city gates had "thresholds": NJ;1I$'~ = j."JJ;1I$'~,

'/?~1 ••• i1/?''1reiJ

'rn. "~!} ,~~ '31~ '1$ loti:J~1 ... :J'~9 :J'~9 11'~? f~n~ i1/?in i1~iJ1 :JlJ', '01$

i1~i?

'01$ fJQ

11~1

:JlJ', '01$

i1~i? '31~iJ

fJQ 111$

And behold, there is a wall all around the outside of the Temple ... And (the angel) came to the gate which is facing the eastem road ... and measured the threshold of the gate, one reed in width, and one threshold, one reed in width (Ezek. 49:5-6) The plural C'~~ occurs in the phrase (C'~!iltl =) l'~!iltll1lj.t1~ ';re~\';R~, "In the grave which is below the thresholds" (see #53, 11:8). The secondary meaning of 9Q is "entrance hall," where 9~t1 '1.~·~, "guards of the threshold" of the Temple (priests and Levites), or "guards of the threshold" of the king were stationed (cf. 2 Kgs 12: 10; 2 Chron. 34:9).22 9~t1 ,~.~, "guard of the threshold" of the king held an important position. 23 9Q (BH, MH) and its Aramaic cognate N~'~ (related to i1~o/, BH, "border, lip") have several meanings, such as "door-sill, door-post, bowl, paving block of stone, stone rows, border." Moreover, N~o/\N~9 (e.g., b. B.B. 4a; BTA), is a synonym of C'~~~'~ 1~1~, "row of stones" (see #2, 1:5.).24 ,;,~t1 9QtI, "the large threshold," implies that this place also had a smaller threshold. Since the cistem is located east or at the eastem section of the wall, it may suggest that the entrance below the threshold is the eastem gate mentioned in the previous item (see #9, 2:7). The resemblance of the above cited part of the vision of Ezekiel's Temple to this and to the previous items, strongly suggests that the unnamed city of both items refer to Jerusalern or its Temple (cf. Milik, Allegro, Pixner, Beyer, Wise). 22 Sharvit lists '10 among those words which occur only in the Bible ("'lyyunim," 129). 23 Cf. Esth. 2:21. See also BY, 5, 4141-42; BDB, 706. Rashi explains Tli!lQ1 as a "vessel to make use of," and compares it to '1Qi1 Tli!l1;) (2 Kgs 12:14; Rashi on 2 Sam. 17:28), and to '1l;l;:I '~itU (Rashi in b. 'A.Z. 38b). Th~ 'Targum renders '1l;l;:I ''1~itU as lot~?:P'1~~, "counselors, officers" (2 Kgs 12:10; see Jastrow, 79b). 24 See AC 6, 98a; S. Fränkel, Die Aramäischen Fremdwöner im Arabischen (1886), 12; Jastrow, lO11a; BOB, 706; KS 2, 136b; Dictionnaire Arameen-Hebreu, 323b and n. 62; also, Talmud Bavli 'im Targum 'lvri to b. B.B. sa.

ITEM 11 )71i'~~ n,n~ n'T~~!Z1 lot~'~~ )7~'lot lot~ n~lot ,,!)n 'l'!)li1

22

l"~~

2: 13 2: 14

2:15

2: 13 In the pond which is in the east of Kal).elet, at the northern 2:14 corner, in it are bUfied fOUf cubits (deep), 2: 15 22 (unspecified) talents. COMMENTARY (2: 13) 117.lj~ n·1T~~o/. ~~·J.~;\~~I.~:;I, "In a/the pond which is at (the) east of Kal}elet"; cf. 117.lj~ (T;!l~:;Io/. =) l1!lr:1~ l1'lJ1T~LI l1'~;\1l'lP~, "In the eastern deep pit which is at (the) north of Kal}elet" (see #19, 4:11-12); l1'~;\l1'lP~ 117.lj~ 1;!l~:;I 11l~;o/.\tfl:~o/., "In althe deep pit which is in (the) Janoah at (the) northofKal}elet" (see #60, 12:10). RegardingKal}elet, see #4, 1:9. ;'~'1.~\;'~1.~ (fern., BH, MH; Aramaic ~.IJ~'I.~ [abs.], Trg. 2 Kgs 18:17; Arabic birkah), "pond, pool, reservoir, "1 is probably from the root 1':1, "to bend, bless." ;'~'1.~ can be converted into a ritual bath, '3Z ;"~3.!,tJ ... l~~ ;'1.i?~~ ~~;, 'I.LI ;i"t;l~;:11 ;'~'1~ '~~, "Spring (water) ... if one passed it over a pond and then cuts it off, it is like a ritual bath" (m. Miq. 5:1; cf. t. Miq. 4:8; also, Isa. 22:11). ;'~'I.f, "pond," is synonymous with 1J'~~\1J~!U~, "pool" (see #13, 3:8); ';::1, "eistern, grave" (see #3, 1:6); :1':;1 and ;'\~~':;I, "drain canal" (see #42, 9:11); C:, "sea, pool" (see #40, 9:7; 47, 10:8); ;'l)?I?, "cave, burial cave, ritual bath" (see #4, 1:11-12; #7, 2:3); 1J'~\1J~tzj, "eistern, pit, grave," and 11'~, "deep pit, grave" (see #18,4:9); etc.2 (2: 13)

'~;!l~LI :t:ii?~;\:t:ii?~~,

"in/at/by the northern corner," must refer to

1 Rashi says that the ;'~!.~ is like a fish-pond dug into the earth (Isa. 7:3, 36:2; etc.). 2 The rare Mishnaic term n~I~~ (fem.) is related to ;'~'1~. The Talmud, discussing the Mishnab (M.Q. 1:6), asks: "What is n~1.~~ ? Rav Judab said, it is ll'i?~ (a trench) .... Abbaye said ... , ~v'~ '=1~ ~v'~ (a burial niche [i.e., kokh], or a small burial niche [i.e., kokh)" (b. M.Q. 8b). See on the Gemara: Rabbenu I:Iananel, Rashi, Tosaphot; on the Mishnab: Tif'eret Israel, Kehati; on the term: BY 4, 3493b-94a and n. 4; on the topic: E. Y. Kutscher, and its Cognates," EI8 (1967), 273-79. See also #59, 12:8. Accordingly, ;'~'!.~ like n~I~~, "pond," may also mean "burial niche, " as some of its synonyms in the SerolI.

",,:l

136

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

the :1~"'.~, "pool." Regarding the second word, the drawings differ. BAKERdr: [.]l!l!:1; MILIKdr : 'l!l!:1 (defective); ALLEGROdr: 'J1!l!:1 (plene). j['!i?~ (masc., pI. I1'Y'!i?~, const. '37.'!i?~) means "corner" (from the root Y!j.', "to cut off," with a locative mem). Its second occurrence in the Scroll is spelled plene, V't"Y'!i?~, "its (fern.) corners" (see #50, 11:1). Cf. 11~lY'7 11'~~~ 11'~'!l~ j['!i?~~ :1.t;1;v C'~?tpLl, "the chamber of the lambs was in the northwestern corner (of the Temple Court)" (m. Tamid 3:3). In the latter j[;!i?~ seems to be feminine. :1~;l (fern.), a synonym of 3l;!i?~, also occurs in the Scroll (3: 1,4, 10, 7: 11, 11 :2). Some define 3l;!i?~ as an inside corner, while :1~;l as an outside corner (see #12,3:1). Regarding 11!l!, see #19,4:11. (2: 14) Y~i15 (;:l\M~ =) ~t:l\~~ 1i1015 "!ll:!\'~!l~, "in it are buried four cubits (deep), " or "dig in it four cubits (deep)" - ALLEGRO and LURIE: :1~~ '1!ln Y:J'~ Ö'O, "buried at one cubit, four sits."3 It should be added that this measurement in the Talmud appears always as ö'!ilLi (e.g., m. Kel. 13:4). According to Kohut, ö'!ilLi is derived from the Syriac ~tt~. 4 Thus, both the he of ö'O:1 (H) and the )alef of ~ö'O (A) are definite artic1es. MILIK: '1!ln Y:J'~ ... 11'~~, "dig four cubits." The bet and the letter fragments are dittos Iike :11'~ (1:3).5 BEYER: Y:J'~ (f"~[~]l 11'~N, "did four cubits {cubits} deep. "6 The other scholars agree with Milik. 7 Regarding the two words preceding Y~i15, the drawings differ. BAKERdr: the upper part of an )aleffollowed by a mem, he, space, bet, two 'hands' and a 'leg' of a broken letter; a small piece is missing below the letter bet. 8 MILlKdr: 1m~N followed by aspace, a bet, a dotted almost circular shape with two solid 'hands' and one solid 'left leg'; a small piece is missing below the bet. 9 ALLEGRo dr : ö'O :1~~; around ö'O there are several dotted lines indicating cracks, but nothing is missing. Allegro notes that the samekh "is on a broken piece replaced at a wrong angle. "10 The drawing differences raise serious questions. Baker's drawings were made at the time of the opening of the Scroll. Milik's drawings are corrected versions of Baker's. Allegro's drawings were made in Jordan at much later date (see "Drawings" in the Discussion). It is difficult to reconcile the following contradictions. (1) The drawings of Baker and Milik have a bet, a broken character, and a missing piece below the bet, while Allegro's drawing 3 Allegro, 35 (the colon instead of a comma is a typographical error); Allegrorev (the apostrophe is typographical error), 22; Lurie, 73 and n. 3. 4 AC 6, 35b-36a. See also Jastrow, 977b. 5 Milik, 286-7; MilikE , 139. 6 Beyer, 225-26. 7 Pixner, 346; Wolters, 34-34; Garcia Martinez, 461; Vermes, 374; Wise, 192. 8 Milik, pI. xlv. 9 Milik, pI. I. 10 Allegro, 34, 141 n. 57.

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 11

137

has tI'O and some cracks. This would suggest that after Milik corrected Baker's drawings and before Allegro's drawings were made, small pieces were replaced and/or glued to the Scroll, creating the word tI'O. ConsequentIy, one may conclude that Baker's drawings are the correct ones, while the dotted, almost circular shape should be disregarded in Milik's drawings. (2) In addition, the irregular shape of the bottom of the second column, the drawings differ. In this case the photographs of the Zuckermans support Milik's drawings except the first letter of the second word which resembles a samekh as in Allegro's. Yet it is still difficult to read tI'O, as does Allegro. Behind the bet, the upper two hands and the lower left leg of the damaged letter could be parts of an Ja/eI; i.e., N::1. This word can be vocalized as N~ = ;:q, "in it (fern.)," referring to the feminine N~!.~; or as ;'-J = ;"fJ, the archaic form of iJ, "in it (masc.)," referring to the masculine '~i!)~L1 :lli?~ (see #5, I: 13; #8, 2:6; #13, 3:9). The phrase :11;115 N'J\N~ Iir.l15 'i!)qm!)~ has an unusual word order, since one would expect either :11;115 Iir.l15 N'J\N~ 'i!)q\'~!)~, or 'i!)q\'~!)~ N'J\N~ :11;115 nb15, "in it is hidden/dig four cu bits (deep)." Cf. TI~L1\~1~L1 TlIJ.[I Tlir.l15 lVi?o/, instead of TI~L1\~1~L1 TIM Tlir.l15 lVi?o/ or TI~L1\~1~L1 TlIJ.[I lVi?o/ Tlir.l15, "three cubits below the board/corpse" (see #14, 3: 12-13); and Tlir.l15 n·n~7 1'Y.~115 IJ''''!I$ instead of l'Y.~l15 Tlir.l15 IJ''''!I$ nli~7, "toward east of Ariah (~t ~ distance of) forty cubits" (alt., see #1, 1:2-3). Both explanations, N~ ... N~!.~;\N~!.i:;1, "in a/the pool ... in it (fern.)," or N'J ... '~'!)~L1 :l';ri?1P;\Jt;ri?~~, "in the northern corner ... in it (masc.)," resemble the following phrases: [i]J 'iJ, "a pit/cistern, in [it] (masc.)" (2:6); iJ ... 'iJ;\'i::1~, "in a/the pit/cistern ... in it (masc.)" (2:8); iJ ??i?, "a qalal (vessel), in it (masc.)" (6:4-5); iJ ... '~j?,~, "in (the) grave ... in it (masc.)" (11:9-10); iJW Ni?,7p~~\Ni2,~~\ "and in a/the channel which is in it (masc.)" (2:9); N'JW\N~W 1J''''!~;\IJ'",!~:;1 ... l''1;\l''~, "in (the) Din ... in a/the catacomb/tower which is in it (fem./masc.)" (8:14); rl~W ?f ... TI'~;\TI'~~, "in a/the deep pit ... everything in it (fern.)" (9:14-16). The form ...... ::1 ;m( ... ... )::1(IU) means, "in (a/the) ...... (which is) in it(s ... )" (see #3, 1:6:7; #9, 2:9; #37, 8:14; #43, 9:14-16; #45, 10:4; #54, 11:9). (2:15) 22 l'",!f:;l, "22 (unspecified) talents" - It is possible to read in seven cases in the Scroll the word l'",!f:;l, "talents," as 1''1;l~, "in pitchers." Accordingly, this phrase could mean: (I) "(there are) 22 (unspecified) talents"; (2) "(there are an undisclosed amount of unspecified objects) in 22 pitchers"; or (3) "in (an undisclosed number of) pitchers (there are) 22 (unspecified objects)." See Appendix A.

ITEM 12 ",i1 ~l!)i1 nnn ö[)l ,~]n) "fZ7 )i1n !)o;:, ,";:, YfZ7n n,~~ n'~ m~'i'l~ mo,;:, n'i"T~ y~,

YfZ7m

m~~ fZ7fZ7 ,,;:, m~0i'

mT~i1

n,n~i1

!)o;:, i1'oy fZ7fZ7

3: 1 3:2 3:3

3:4 3:5 3:6 3:7

~l!)i1

nnn

,!)n n' TP 40 ;:,;:,

m~~

3:1 3:2 3:3 3:4 3:5 3:6 3:7

In the C[ourtyard of Neba]t, below the southern corner, nine cubits (deep) are dedicated silver and gold vessels: sprinkling basins, cups, (show-bread) supports, (show-bread covering) tubes; a total of six hundred and nine. Below the other, the eastern corner, sixteen cubits (deep) are buried 40 k(arsh of) silver. (Code:) TP. COMMENTARY

(3:1) tl[7.~\tl[:p 1~]t!~, "In/at/by the C[ourtyard of Neba]t/Pe1e]t" - ALLEGRopr: "in it [ ... ]" (i.e., [ ... ] ilJ). ALLEGRO: 6[ ... ]nJ, "In the C[ourt of (?) ... ]"; perhaps tl[lZ.':l 1l]nJ, "in the court of flaying," or tl[nlZ.' 1l]nJ, "in the court of slaying."1 MILIK: tl~'O[ .. 1]lnJ (two-three characters are added on the basis of some unpublished fragments), "In the Cour[t of PeriJbolos." Peribolos (from Greek) may be the outer colonnade of the Temple. 2 ALLEGRorev, LURIE, PIXNER, GARCIA MARTINEZ, and VERMES basically render, "In the [court] of ... "3 YADIN: 6[ ... 1]lnJ, "In the cour[t ... ]."4 WOLTERS follows Milik. 5 BEYER: tl~'[1" 1]lnJ, "in the half-circ1e formed courtyard of 1 2 3 374. 4 5

Allegropr; Allegro, 37, 141 n. 59. Milik, 287, 273 D-54; MilikE , 139, 146. Allegrorev , 22; Lurie, 74-75 and n. 1; Pixner, 346; Garcia Martinez, 461; Vermes, The Temple Serail (Eng.) 1, 227. Wolters,36-37.

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 12

139

Laur]eatus (or [NLX]icxTO~)."6 WISE: "In the courtyard of [... ]."7 The damaged sign after the bet resembles a he/I]et/taw or a dalet/reS plus a waw/yod. It is followed by a lacuna of six letter spaces, and then a letter fragment that seems to be a part of a tet. Thus, the possible readings are: Ö •••••• il:1, Ö •••••• n:1, Ö ••• ••• n:1, Ö •••••• '1:1, Ö •••••• '1:1, Ö •••••• ,,:1, and ö ..•... ',:1. Logically, the first word should be a noun prefixed with the preposition bet. The second word modifies the first noun; it can be a noun, an adjective, even a verbal form. The two words may be joined by '1Zi, "of." The first word can be reconstructed as '~]t9, or ,~ '~]lj~\'~]ljf, "In/at/by the C[ourtyard of" (as most scholars do). Cf. ,~t!~~ ,i1;0 'i:J~\'i:1f 1i't;:!9i~t1, "In althe great cistern which is in the Court of the Peristyle" (see #3, 1:6-7); and l'~>.!tJ 't1~ ,~t!~~ lJ'i~~\lJ'i~:;1, "In althe catacomb wh ich is in the cemetery of Ezion" (see #8, 2:5). Yet there are other options, as the following, selected from the vocabulary of the Scroll, show. i']'1:1 = i'i'~\i'i1f' "in/at/by (the) Do[k (ot)" - cf. n~~ nlJ.!'l i'i'~\i'i1f' "in/at/by (the) Dok, below the corner oP' (7:11). ']'1:1 = 'i'~\'i1f' "in/at/by (the) D[or (ot)" - cf. l't'.~0 ,~ 'i'~\'i1f, "in/atlby (the) Dor of Shaveh" (8:14, alt.). 1]'1:1 = l"~\l"f' "in/in/at (the) Din (ot)" - cf. ~'-~t1 ,~ l"~'1"f' "in/at/by (the) Din of Shaveh" (8: 14). i'1'1:1 = i':.1:;1\i':.1~\i':.1f, "in/atlby althe si[ege wall (ot)" - cf. i':.1~\i".1f n~~ nlJ.!'l, "in/at/by an/the siege wall, below the corner of" (7: 11, alt.). '1'1:1 = "'~\"':;1, "in/at/by a/the st[able/st[orage (ot)" - cf. "'~\"':;1 ~'-~0 ,~, "in/at/by ~the stable/storage of Shaveh" (8:14, alt.). . n11'1:1\il']'1:1 = n1"f\il1"~\ill"f' "in/at/by althe dw[elling (ot)" or "in/at/by althe wach[man's quarter (ot)" - cf. :1~1fi~0 n'* [n1]" t(:1~:;1, "in/at/by an/the alley of the watchman's quar[ter ot] the tomb" (11: 16). '];'1:l = 'ij~\'0-?, "in/at/by a/the m[ount (ot)" - cf. rT''''!~ 't1-?, "in/at/by Mount Gerizim" (12:4) il':1]n:1 = il?~lJ~\il?~lJ~\il?~lJf' "in/at/by althe r[uin/d[istrict (ot)" - cf. n'~Wtl il?~lJ~\il?~lJ~\il?~lJf' "in/at/by althe second ruin/district" (9:4). ,,]n:1 = 'in~\'inf' "in/at/by the s[and (ot)" - cf. (ri?inf =) ~ltnf 7:3m9, "hidden in its (fern.) sand" (1: 7; Allegrodr ). "1M:1 = ,m~\,mf\'in~\'inf' "in/at/by althe h[ole (ot)" - cf. ~ljlT~~ ,m\,in (rilj1T~f~ =), "which (in) its east (there is) a hole" (8:2, alt.). ,']n:1 = "IJ~\"IJ:;1,. "in/at/by althe ra[mpart (ot)" - cf. "1J0 ,~\ . "of the rampart" (10:15, alt.). n',]n:1\l't',]n:1 = n:7,nf\il~7m~\il~7mf' "in/at/by an/the cir[cular-wallls[ealing-ring (ot)" - cf. ~~7Q~ 7:3,n9, "concealed in/at/by the circularwalllsealing-ring" (1 :7; Milikdr). 6 Beyer, 225-227. 7 Wise, 192.

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

140

1::1m::1 = 1~i'~\1~i'~, "in/at/by althe p1[atform/pa[vement (of)" '~'?~ij 1~i'~\1~i'~, "in/at/by the third p1atform/pavement" (2:3).

cf.

M]"::1 = 1J~'~\lJ~'~, "in/at/by althe di[rection (of)" - cf. m'~\IJ~'~ {Cl ~~iXijU(~iXij, "at althe direction which is facing (the) sealwest" (9:7). ~]"::1 = 1Z1~"~\!Zj~"~, "at/by althe to[p (of)" - cf. ~~~ij l1~tt lZ1i'~, "At the outset of the water canal" (5:1). "]11::1 = 'i1'1~\'il1~, "in/at/by althe w[al1 (of)" - cf. ,i1'1 ~111V~~, "which (in) its east (there is) a wall" (8:2, alt.). ']11::1 = '.t1~\'t1~, "in/at/by althe m[ound (of)" - cf. 1171J~ ,~ '.t1~\'t1~, "In the Mound of KaI)e1et" or "At Tel KaI)e1et" (1 :9). The missing second word seems to end with a tet. There are re1ative1y few such Hebrew words, although it may be a 10anword. In the following suggestions the first word can be substituted for any of the above possibilities. ~[~~ '~]t!~, "in/at/by the C[ourtyard of Neba]t"; ~[~~ ']ij~, "in/at/by the M[ountain of Neba]t"; etc. - cf. ~~~ lf. CY,~1:, "Jeroboam son of Nebat," who rebelled against King Solomon (e.g., 1 Kgs 11:26). ~[7~ '~]t!~, "in/at/by the C[ourtyard of Pe1e]t"; ~[7~ ']ij~, "in/at/by the M[ountain of Pe1e]t"; etc. - cf. Pe1et son of Jahdai (1 Chron. 2:47), and Pe1et son of Azmaweth, one of heroes of King David (1 Chron. 12:3). ~['7~ij ,~]t!~ or ~[7.~ij ,~]t!~, "in/at/by the C[ourtyard of the Fugitiv]e;" ~['?~ij ']ij~ or ~[7.~ij ']ij~, "in/at/by the M[ountain of the Fugitiv]e;" etc. - ~'?~ij means "the fugitive" (e.g., Gen. 14:13), whi1e ~7.~ is the assumed singular of C'T;l7.~, "fugitives" (e.g., Num. 21 :29). ~7~, ~'?~, and ~7.~, are from the root tI'!l, "to escape" (cf. til~, "escape," see #5,1:13, alt.). ~[?i?~ij ,~]t!~, "in/at/by the r[efuge courtyar]d"; ~[?i?~ij ']ij~, "in/at/by the M[ountain of Refug]e"; etc. - cf. ö?i?1,) '1.Y" "refuge cities" (Num. 35:11,13,14; from the root ö'P, "to absorb"). ö['7V1ij ,~]t!~, "in/at/by the r[ u1er's courtyar]d"; ö['7V1ij ']ij~, "in/at/by the r[u1er's mountai]n"; etc. - cf. ö'?V1ij tot~i1 9Qi'1, "and Joseph, he is the ru1er" (Gen. 42:6; from the root ö'lZ1, "to dominate';). Final1y, ö~~ ,~t!, Hazar Nebat, ö7~ ,~t!, Hazar Pe1et, etc., cou1d be toponyms; cf. '1tt ,~t!, Hazar-addar or Addar CourtyardlVillage (Num. 34:4), i11~ ,~t!, Hazar-gaddah or Luck CourtyardlVillage (Josh. 15:27). ~:

(3: 1-2, 5-6)

111.IJttv ~~~ij l1lJ.[1 ... YW.t1 l1i~tt l1'1,)i''1ij ~~~ij 111J.[1 "be10w the southern corner (tower), nine cubits (deep) ... be10w the other, the eastern corner (tower), sixteen cubits (deep) are buried (or dig sixteen cubits (deep)"8 - Both geographical directions

i11.93t IZ1tp

l1'tT1!~ij

l1i~tt 'llt!\'~I1,

8 This is basically the reading of the scholars, except Allegropr, who translates (from the beginning of line 3:1), "in it [ ... ) under its corners, buried (7) at nine cubits ... under another corner to the East, there is buried (lit. dug) at sixteen cubits," and notes to line 3 :2, "11'~ for the usual ,wn, so 'buried' ," and to line 3:6, "11" Aram. 11'lf' (i.e., the same as the Hebrew tU'" "there is/are"). At this stage, Allegro did not recognize that each of these words

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 12

141

11'~"':1 and l1'n'T~:1 are interrupted; ",:1 and n'T~:1 are at the end of the line, while 11'~ is at the beginning of the next one. Other interrupted words in the Scroll are: 1:J'~:1 (Milikdr ) - 11~:1 (Allegrodr , 3:12-13), lot?:lfY:1 (4:9-10, alt.), l1?n::J (4:11-12), '~'?IU (5:8-9), (5:8-9, alt.), I1'J?' (Bakerdr , Milikdr , 7:8-9), lotJn::J:1 (or lotJ"J:1, lotJ"Jn, 7:14-15, alt.), N?"l:1 (11:6-7); also N::J::JO[? (5: 1-2), tu['?1U (5:3-4), mlUlot[? (5:5-6), ~"'[J or ~"'[:1 (9: 1710: 1). Many ancient inscriptions have interrupted words; e. g., N'i' and :1Ji'l:1 in the Siloam Inscription (KAlI, 34 [#189:2-4]). Regarding 'Eln, see #17, 4:7; for 11'~N, #1, 1:2-3; for geographical directions, #4, 1:11; #10, 2: 10; #14, 3: 11-12; #19, 4: 11. A sirnilar phrase occurs in the next itern, 11'~~~tI N~~tI 111jtl, "below the western corner (tower)" (3:10). 11~~ (const.), "corner (tower) of," appears twice in the Scroll: l1'lJ1F~tI n~o/1iltl\:11~o/1iltl 11~~ l11jtl, "below the corner (tower) of the eastern guard post/spreading place" (see #31, 7:11-12); and 11'~"':!0 (see #50, 11:1). In the Masoretic Text i~tl, also spelled as i~'::1 and i1~~i::1 (inf. plus sec. pers. masc. suffix), "you come/go" or "your coming/going," occurs 28 times. However, in a dozen cases i~i::1 is an idiom having a directional meaning, "until, as far as." Both forms i~'J~ (Deut. 28:6,19; 2 Sam. 3:13) and i~'J:P (1 Sam. 10:5; Jer. 51:61) with the meaning, "as you come," occur in the Masoretic Text. iJ;!l$iJ~ and iJ;!l$iJ:P are expanded forms of i~iJ~ and i~iJ:p, with an extra taw before the final kaf. Four tim es in the Masoretic Text forms of ~'J have extra taws: (1) i1.o~iJ1) (Deut. 33:16) vs. ~iJ1) - ~'J1) (e.g., Gen. 41:50, 49:6), "it (fern.) will come"; (2) iJ;!1$iJT;1 (Job 22:21) vs. i~iJT;1 (Ezek. 32:11), "it (fern.) will come upon you (sg.)"; (3) '1)~J1)l (ketiv, 1 Sam. 25:34) vs. '~'J1)l (Ezek. 16:7), "and you (fern. sg.) will come" or "and you (fern. sg.) came"; and (4) n~'Jm (qeri, 1 Sam. 25:34) vs. ~iJ1)l (Ezek. 22:4), "and she will come" or "and she came."18 Likewise, Mishnaic Hebrew uses n~~ (e.g., t. 'A.Z. 5:3) and i1.o~~ (e.g., b. Git. 32a), instead of i11$~ (e.g., Gen. 16:17), "she came." These unusual forms in the Masoretic Text, Copper Scroll, and Mishnaic Hebrew indicate that there are two forms, ~'J and the expanded n~'J. The presence of 1n~'J (twice) and 1~'J in the Scroll disprove the contention of those who consider i1.o~iJ1), iJ;!1$iJT;1, '1)~J1)l, and n~'J1)l as errors in the Masoretic Text. 19 i~i::1 and iJ;!1$i::1 when used as idioms, may not be infinitives with a second person masculine suffix. Rather, the final kaf could be a nominative formation. This suggestion can be compared with the problematic term i:Pi3l, "wows of valuation," which occurs 25 times in the Masoretic Text (21 in Lev. Ch. 27). Often i:Pi3l cannot be explained as the masculine noun 11.Y. 11.3l, "value, valuation," plus a second person suffix. 20 Mishnaic Hebrew

~'~!J,

18 According to Radak, nlöJ;l is a conglomeration ofthe future IÖJ;l and the past nl;(~, indicating "the agility of her coming," and so is the ketiv 'J:I~':lJ;l (cf. Rid). Ibn-Ezra cornpares ;,~~i:lJ;l to ;'~1P1 (= ;'1T~), ;'~l!1!U~ (= ;'l!1!U~), ;'~1~ (= ;'1~), thus it is the same as ;'l;(i:lJ;l (Deut. 33:16). Gordis (155, 202 n. 574) lists 'J:I~':lJ;l1 and n~':lJ;l1 among those cases where both, the ketiv and qeri are "unsatisfactory," and adds that the qeri is an "unform." In addition, perhaps the unusual formation of 1lJ;1l5~ (Ps. 44:18), which is explained by Ibn-Ezra as 1l'?'l! ;'l;(~, "it (fern.) came upon us," is derived from 1l'?'l! nl;(~. If so, it may be an archaic form. 19 See BY 1, 477-78 n. 6, 480 n. 2. 20 In the verse :I:jttJ n~, fJ\1;1ltJ n~ iU~~ i:J"1~f tU'l,(, "(Jehoiakim) exacted the silver and the

160

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employs the tenn o;11Y. - 11~ (sg., pI. l':;llY,) , rather than ;:P")3l. 'Arakhin is also the name of the Talmud tractate dealing with wows of valuation. 21 Finally, nt1~ (masc.), "opening, entrance," a synonym of i1~':;1, occurs seven times in the Scroll. Especially is interesting their similar usage, '11~':;1 (2:12, 12:1) - K1)~':;1 (= rl1)~':;1, 3:9), vs. ,nJ;l~ (1:11) - KlJJ;l~ (= i-1lJJ;l~; see #60, 12:10).22 (4:4) n'y.]~")~ 11'~~, "for[ty] cubits" - In the drawings, the bottom of the bet touches an almost V-shaped lacuna of three-four letter spaces. There are some differences between the drawings. BAKERdr : A vertical line hangs down from the top left side of the bet. MILIKdr : Between the bet and the lacuna there is a letter fragment that seems to be the right 'hand' of an (ayin, running into the lacuna. ALLEGROdr : There is no trace of this fragment. The photographs of the Zuckennans support the drawings of Baker and Milik. After the lacuna there is an empty space of two-three letter sizes. MILIKdr : The second half of this space has a dotted taw. ALLEGROdr: Dotted lines show where the opening cuts were made. One of these cuts Column 4, leaving about two-thirds to the right and one-third to the left side. Apparently, this cut goes through the left leg of Milik's dotted taw (see "The Drawings" in the Discussion). The next word is ~O::J; the final pe has an unusual but different shapes in the drawings of Baker and Milik, and that of Allegro. This phrase has been analyzed as follows. ALLEGRO and LURIE: 111~K [ ••• Y]:l'K, "fou[r ... ] cubits. "23 MILIK and PIXNER: 11[nK1 l']Y:l'K m~K, "for[ty-one] cubits. "24 WOLTERS: l1[ ... ]Y:l'K 111~K, "four cubits [ ... ]. "25 WISE follows Allegro, while the rest of the scholars agree with Milik. 26 The possible restorations for this phrase are as follows. BAKERdr and ALLEGROdr: [Y]~")15 11'~~, "fou[r] cubits," cf. v,,~ 11'~15, "three cubits" gold from from each man according to his value" (2 Kgs 23:35), ;:;'lr" "his value," is 1'1>.' plus the third person masculine suffix 'i-). 21 This suggestion is similar but not identical with the unusual forms in Biblical Ararnaic, ~'.l?7V. ~'.v1 ~'~~~~tz.i ~'.?~~ ~'.1f'15 ~'.9'~~ ~'.?~,,, ~'.~J;lQ';l~1 ~'.r1 (according to the qeri), "the Dinites, the Apharesattechites, the Tarpelites, the Apharesites, the Archevites, the Babyionians, the Shusanchites, the Dehites, the Elamites" (Ezra 4:9; Tanach). This list has two cases of extra kaf before the Ararnaic plural definite masculine ending, ~'.~J;lQ';l~1 and ~'.~~~~tz.i. The latter is explained as gentilic, i.e., Susians, people originating from Susan, Persia, and it is an Old-Persian borrowing (cf. BOB, l1l4b-1115a). Rabbenu Tarn says that 'P7~'~ (MH) means "from ltaly of Greece," i.e., Byzantine, where the qofis like the kafin ~'.~~~~tz.i, from W~tz.i, Susan (Tosaphot on b. Qid. 2a), i.e., gentilic forms. 22 The other occurrences of nng in the Scroll are: 1:8, 6:2, 6:3, 6:9, 10:10. 23 Allegro, 39, 143 n. 82; Allegrorev , 22; Lurie, 80. Cf. Allegropr: "fourcubits [... ]." 24 Milik, 288-89; MilikE , 140; Pixner, 347. 25 Wolters, 38-39. 26 Wise, 193; Garcia Martinez, 461; Beyer, 226-27; Vermes, 375.

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(1: 14), tOW l1i~~, "six cubits" (1: 12); and n']y.~l~ 11;~~, "four[ty] cubits." MILIKdr: i1['J.911] Y~l~ 11;~~, "fou[rtee]n cubits," cf. i1'J.911 ~'.t1~ 11;~~, "twelve cubits" (6: 13); i1[t$~~] Y~l~ 11;~~, "hundred and four cubits," cf. i1t$7;? YWT;11"f:;l, "nine hundred talents" (1:8, alt.); and -\l1r~~] Y~l~ l1i~15 11[;~~], "four [hund]red cubits," cf. 11;~~ Y~l15 l'!f:;l (7:7), and YWT;11"f:;l ri~~, "nine hundred talents" (1:8). Since in this item the measurement follows '9J;'1t$i:l f , "as you come," it must describe a distance, rather than depth. Four, fourteen, forty, forty-one, hundred and four, and even four hundred cubits are acceptable distances. Should the reference be depth, only "four cubits" is plausible (cf. Allegro). (4:4-5) 55 :J:J 9\l?, "55 k(arsh) of silver" - The drawings after :J:J differ. BAKERdr and MILIKdr: Two re.s-shaped numerals of 20, a small fragment that may be the right side of the numeral 10, a V-shaped lacuna, two vertical lines or waws, and an Jale! ALLEGROdr: Two re.s-shaped numerals of 20, a small fragment that seems to be the right lower part of a bet, kaf, mem, nun, or pe, a V shaped lacuna, a fragment that looks like a narrow and sm all size sin, a dalet or res, and an Jale! This phrase has been interpreted as follows. ALLEGRopr: "silver, kk .... " ALLEGRO: ~'!Z1[:l ••• ] 40+ :J:J 90:J, "40+ talents of silver (in a) ehest"; the two numerals 20 are "defective." ALLEGRorev: "40 talents of silver (in) a ehest (?). "27 MILIK: 55 :J:J 90:J, "55 talents of silver. "28 Apparently Milik reads the numerals as follows: 20 + 20 + 10 (the fragment) + 2 (the two vertica1lines) + 3 (the Jale! shaped sign of three lines) = 55. LURIE: :J:J 90:J ~'!Z1[:l] 40, "(hidden) [in] a ehest forty talent of silver. "29 The other scholars agree with Milik. 3o According to Allegro's drawing, the reading is ~1~~/~1~f 40 :J:J 9\l?, "40 silver k(arsh) in a/the carrying chair," or "40 silver k(arsh) in a/the box." This would be a third case of the term ~1~, "carrying chair, box," in the Scroll (see #1, 1:3). Since in several cases Milik recognized the proper numerals while Allegro did not, this would suggest that Milik's interpretation is the correct one. However, since the drawings do differ, one must study all possible readings. Regarding the abbreviation :J:J, see Appendix A. 27 Allegro, 39, 134 n. 5, 143 n. 83 (the question mark after the numeral 40 instead of the plus sign is a typographical error; cf. "3 +," 4: 14; also in the note 30 is a typographical error for 40); Allegrorev , 22. 28 Milik, 288-89; MilikE , 140. 29 Lurie, 80 and n. 3 ([1(1117:1] is a typographical error for 1(1117[:1]; also in the translation 9C~ is missing). 30 Pixner, 347; Wolters, 38-39; Garcia Martinez, 461; Beyer, 226-27; Vermes, 375; Wise,193.

ITEM 17 l'~Y i'~Y~TV l'n~i1 'lTV l'~

l,gn lY~~N~ ~O~ l'N'~ l"" 'lTV ~TV TV"TV

4:6 4:7 4:8

m~N

4:6 4:7 4:8

Between the two buildings which are in the Valley of Achor, at their center, three cubits (deep) there are buried two pots full of silver (shekels). COMMENTARY

(4:6) 1'T:l~t1 '~!p 1':;!, "Between the two buildings" - Regarding the third word, the drawings differ. BAKERdr and MILIKdr: 1'l':1:1, 1'l':1:1, 1'l':>:1, 1'l':>:1. ALLEGROdr: 1'11:1:1. Allegro's taw appears to be the same as Baker's and Milik's yod/waw and nun connected at the top. The photographs of the ZUCKERMANS seem to support the drawings of Baker and Milik. The third word without the definite article has been analyzed as follows. ALLEGRopr: "ben trees" (i.e., l'l':1). ALLEGRO: 1'1:1, "oil-presses (?)." There is confusion between taw and he, and between dalet and res. Altematively 1'11:1. ALLEGROrev: "buildings (?)" (i.e., 1'11:1).1 MILIK: 1'l':1, "tarnarisk trees," the plural of 1':1; cf. ~l':1 in Talmudic Aramaic (b. Git. 68b) and in Syriac. 2 LURIE: 1'11:1, "buildings."3 THORION: 1'l':1, but it is possible to read as 1'11:1. 4 WISE: "boulders."s PIXNER and GARCIA MARTINEZ follow Allegrorev and Lurie, while WOLTERS, BEYER, and VERMES agree with Milik. 6 Allegro's drawing clearly reads 1'T:l~t1 (pI. of 11'~, masc., plus the prefixed definite article), "the houses." Regarding 11':1, see #7, 2:3. The drawings by Baker and Milik can be read, vocalized, and interpreted many ways. Except the last two suggestions, the first nun is considered as a 1 Regarding the ben tree, Allegropr refers to Z4W 63 (1951), 154-56; 64 (1952), 249-51, and to his letter (probably to Harding) dated January 15, 1956. Allegro, 39, 143 n. 84; Allegro rev , 22. 2 Milik, 288-89, 242 C-47; MilikE , 140. ~t:;1~ ~t~"1~!U are certain trees (b. Git. 68b; see Jastrow, 163a; AC 2, 56b; KS, 96a; Karo, 28a). 3 Lurie, 81 n. 1. Lurie does not mention Allegro's alternate reading of l'n:l. 4 Thorion, 169, 173-74 (on page 173, HYWNYN is a typographical error for HBYNYN). 5 Wise, 193.

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letter interchange for res. Moreover, since this problematic plural noun is preceded by the masculine '~o/, "two (of)," the possible nouns must also be masculine. p~J;:l\pt~tl '~o/ 1'~ = 1''''1~Jtl\1''''11Jtl '~o/ 1'~, "between the two uncultivated fields" - 1'lt::1 may be a variant of l\O''''1~J - 1\0''''11J, the plural of '1J - '~J (MH), "uncultivated field" (e.g., m. Pe'ah 2: 1; Num. Rabbah 3). P'~tl '~o/ 1'~ = 1''''1'~tl '~o/ 1'~, "between the two weHsleisterns" - l'l':J may be a variant of 1\0''''1'~, the plural of "~ (qeri, Jer. 6:7, ahapax legomenon) , "weH, eistern, pit." The Targum (TO, ps]) of '~:;1 (fern.) is "~ (e.g., Gen. 26:21), and of m~f (pI.) is 1'' '1':;1 (Gen. 26:15).1 Ükewise, '~1 O''''1~tl and its Targum 1''''1'~ '~1 could mean "and all the weHs" (2 Sam. 20:14).8 l:~':;1tl '~o/ 1'~, "between the two structures" - 1'l':J is a plene speHing for 1:~:;1 (sg., Ezek. 40:5).9 Since there is no plural form of 1:~:;1 in Biblical and Mishnaic Hebrew (0'~:~:;1 and 111l:~:;1 are post-Mishnaic Hebrew forms) , it may be a coHective noun, and may refer to more than one structure; cf. the collective 'i?~, "cattle, ox" (dual gender); e.g., 'i?~ '~y. '~o/ "and twelve oxen" (Num. 7:3), vs. the rarely used plural O''''1i?f (2 Chron. 4:3).10 P~:ltl '~o/ 1'~ = O''''1~:ltl '~o/ 1'~, "between the two fumaces" - 1'l'::l may be a variant of 1\0''''1~:l, plural of '~:l\'1:l (masc., BH, MH), "smelting fumaces" (cf. Deut. 4:20). n':;1tl '~o/ 1'~ = 0'1':;1tl '~o/ 1'~, "between the two stoves/fumaces" 1'l'::l could be a variant of 1\0'1':;1 (dual gender), "stove(s)," a dual formation (two pots could be placed on the stove), also used as plural. 0'1':;1 occurs once in the Masoretic Text (Lev. 11 :35), but it is common in Mishnaic Hebrew. E.g., 0'1':;1, "stove(s)" (m. Shab. 3:2); 0'1':;1 'no/, "two stoves" (m. KeI. 6:3). Perhaps the unattested singular form is ":;1 (masc.), while ;"p (m. KeI. 6: 1; pI. 111":;1, b. Shab. 37a) is its feminine form. 1'~':;1tl '~o/ 1'~ = 0''''11':;1tl '~o/ 1'~, "between the two (basin shaped) plat6 Pixner, 347; Garcia Martinez, 461; Wolters, 38-39; Beyer, 227; Vermes, 375. 7 The plural construct forms are 1i1~9 (Gen. 26: 18) and 1i1~~ (Gen. 14: 10; see Ibn-Ezra on Gen. 26:15). Neophyti renders 1lot:1 (= 1~~) and l'1lot:1 (= 1'"1~~), respectively. 8 Usually translated as, "and all the Beerites" (JPSi, JPSii, Tanach; cf. Koren). Radak says that the places near n;1~~, Beeroth (or WeHs), a city in Benjamin, were called 0'"1;1. Ralbag suggests that the 0'1;1 were n;1~~ '~~~, "the men of Beeroth (or WeHs)" in Benjamin. Regarding 1;::1, see #3, 1 :6. 9 Cf. Rashi on Ezek. 40:5, ;ö7?;n~ '~~)7 1~~~~ :11j;1, "the width of the structure is the thickness of the city wall"; also Me~udat David. See also Temple Seroil (Heb.) 2, 100, note on 33:9; BDB, 125b. 10 1'1':1 may be the plural of the unattested 1':1 (masc.), a parallel of ;ö~~~ (fern., Ezek. 41:13) which occurs instead of l~P (masc., final nun-he interchange); cf. 11'C::llot for ;Öllot"C::llot (see #51, 11 :3). Their Targum is lot~~P (emph. of 1~~~), which also occurs in Biblical Aramaic (Ezra 5:4). ;Ö~~~ may be related ;Öi'~ (BH, MH), "fort, castle, metropolis, sanctuary" (nun-res interchange).

164

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

fonns" - l'l':J could be a variant of 1"i':;I. The word 'i':;I (sg. masc.) means "(large) pot" (Zech. 12:6), "(washing) basin" (1 Kgs 7:38), or "(basin shaped) platfonn."" The plurals are c"i':;I (2 Chron. 4:6) and 11i,i':;I (1 Kgs 7:38). The tenns "':J, ;"':J, ":J, and ":J, are from the root ":J, "to be or make round, "12 or from ;":J, "to dig" (these two roots may be related). So far the possible readings, 1')':J;'\1')':::l;'\1'11:::l;' 'llZl 1':::l, have the same pattern as C':;l~'frt '~o/ 1':;!~, "from between the two cherubim" (Exod. 25:22; Num. 7:89); C'1'l~ '~o/ 1':;!~ '.1:)i::> , "a wall which is between two houses" (m. Oh. 6:4); 11i'Y.~ '~o/ 1'~ iN 1'~~::> '~o/ 1':;!~ '.1:)i::>, "a wall which is between two burial niches or between two burial caves" (m. Oh. 6:6). However there is an additional possibility. l:?:;lrt '~f?i 1':;!, "between the teeth of the structure," means "between the towers of the structure (or city wall)." '~f?i is the construct state of c~~f?i, dual/plural of 1I?' , "tooth, ivory, peak"; cf. y?t?rt 11?'f, "at the peak of the rock" (see #10,2:11).

(4:6) 1i:JY. i'~37.f~ is a variant of ,i:JY. i'~37.f~, "which is/are in the Valley of Achor" (see #1, 1:2); cf. 1i!)IN~!)1J is a variant of 'i!)Q\'~!)1J (nun-res interchange). It is discussed in greater detail below. (4:7) lY.~~~f, "at their (masc.) center" - y;~~ or y;~, "middle," is Mishnaic Hebrew. E.g., 1Y.~~~~ N~;''' "and he is at their (fern.) center," i.e., in the middle of an area of four by four cubits (m. 'Eruv. 4:5); "from the beginning of the field i'lY.~~I$~~ (and from its [fern.] middle)" (m. Pe'ah 1:3). The verbal fonn Yl~ (MH) means "to place in the middle" or "to cut into halves." E.g., CY.~ 1'~~ il'~ iY~7p~ ;'1i~~rt1, "and the assistant places hirn (the high priest) between hirn (the assistant) and between the people" (m. San. 2:1). The Aramaic cognates are y;~, N~Y,;~, Ny"~~. E.g., the Targum of C'~rt 1i11f is N:~ mY'~~:;l (TO, PsJ, TN), "in the middle of the waters" (Gen. 1:6).13 The 'Arukh derives Y;~~, from the Greek J.l.iaDl;, mesos, "middle. "14 However, Kutscher suggests that Yl~N - Yl~ must be of Aramaic origin, since 11Yl~:::l (construct state of ;'Yl~ with the preposition bet) occurs twice in the Zinjirli inscriptions (Ya'udic, c. 8th cent. BCE).15 11 Cf. l1o/"n t ,;.'~ :i~;tp i1~y' '~, "for (King) Solomon had made a bronze platform" (2 Chron. 6:13). Ben-Yehuda (3, 2341b, nn. 2-3) says that the origin of "'::1 is unknown, the Greek and Latin translations render "base," and the Peshitta ~'DO~. Regarding the latter, see #3,1:7. 12 Cf. BDB 468; Jastrow, 625a, 636b; SB, 367b, 373; BY 3, 2307a, 2350b-51b; EShdic 3, 1036b, 1047a, 1049b. 13 Rashi explains as, C~rt Y~7;)~~, "in the middle of the waters." 14 AC 1, 125b; 5, 220a; HecA.~kh, 33a; also EShdic 1, 112; 4, 1488b. Ben-Yehuda (4, 3254a n. 1) notes that Yl~ occurs in Aramaic and Syriac. 15 E. Y. Kutscher, "Some Problems of the Lexicography of Mishnaic Hebrew and its

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165

(4:7) Wi'~ ni~15 1igr:!'l~glJ = Wi'~ ni~15 'igl:!\,~glJ, "three cubit (deep) are buried," or "dig three cubits deep" - The first word in the drawings differ. BAKERdr and MILIKdr: 1m'l, 1'l:'l, 1un, 1'ln, and perhaps 1'ln, 1'ln; ALLEGROdr: 1,gn, l'gn. The scholars analyzed 1,gn, which also occurs in lines 5:14, 8:14, 9:5, as follows. ALLEGROpr: l'gn is from :'Ign, to "cover," thus "strewn" in the Rouse, but better taken with the Arabic sense lJafin, "hidden" (9:5; cf. "gn in line 9:2); "hidden" (4:7,5:14). ALLEGROrpr: "dug" (9:5). ALLEGRO: 1,gn, but read as "gn (nun for reS), "buried. "16 MILIK: .,,~n, /Jet-pe ligature, cursive re! (4:7), i,g!i (5:14), i,gn (8:14), ."gn, cursive re! (9:5), "dig."17 LURIE: 1,gn, "hidden"; form :'Ign, "to hide, cover. "18 BEYER: "gn, "dig."19 WOLTERS (4:7, with the previous word): l'lnl Yl~Iot:l, "in the middle of n/Jnyn"; the other three cases, "gn, "dig. "20 WISE: "dig down. "21 The rest of the scholars render "dig," as does Milik. 22 One may accept Wolters' suggestion (in this item) , but read it with a taw (rather than a /Jet), nJ:l~ Y~~~i, "in (the) midst of (the) Nethinim," i.e., in the midst of the dwelling place of the Nethinim. Regarding the Nethinim, see #60, 12:10. MUCHOWSKI suggests that the phenomenon of weakening of the pharyngeal sounds and res resulted in the loss of these letters, thus the word ended with an open syllable. A second phenomenon involved adding a nasal mem or nun to the open syllable at the end of the word, like 1l'ttlOIot:'l (11 :2) and 1"O:::lIot:'l (11 :3). Thus, the sequence was ,igl:! > igl:! > 1igl:! and ,i:::lll > i:::lll > 1i:::lll.23 1,gn is a variant of "gn, like 1i:::lll is for 'i:::lll, a nun-res interchange. ,gn occurs 22 tim es in the Scroll (once reconstructed, 7: 1). It is spelled four ways: ,gn (defective, 3:6, 6:3, 6:9, 6:12, 7:9), "gn (plene, 2:14, 4:13, 5:3, 5: 10, 7: 12, 7: 15, 8:5, 8:9, 8: 12, 9:8, 9: 12), ",gn (with double waw, Comparison with Biblical Hebrew" (in. Heb.), Archive 1 (1972), 65 and n. 152. Also, KAI 1,40 (#215:10; #216:9-10). 16 Lines 8:14-16 are missing in the copy of Allegropr, which was received from Mrs. Allegro. Allegro, 39, 41, 47, 49, 143 nn. 85-86, 149 n. 119, 156 n. 184, 157 n. 200. AIlegrorev , 22-25. 17 Milik, 288-90, 292-95, 315a; MilikE , 140-41; MilikF , 325-26 (creuse, but in line 4:7, it is in a different typeset, i.e., a questionable translation). 18 Lurie, 81 and n. 4, 88-89, 101-02 Cl,!)n in the translation is a typographical error for ,,!)n), 108. Lurie independently arrived at the same solution as Allegropr. 19 Beyer, 227-30. 20 Wolters, 38-41, 46-49. 21 Wise, 193-95. 22 Pixner, 347-48; Garcia Martinez, 461-62; Vermes, 375-76. 23 Apparently Muchowski reads these cases as does Milik ("Dysorthographic Forms l}i1pon and caTWn in 3QI5," Intenestamental Essays [1992], 131-33).

166

JUDAH K. LEFKOVITS

10:13), and 1,!)n (with final nun, 4:7, 5:14, 8:14, 9:5). ,,!)n (from the root ,!)n, "to dig, search") can be vocalized either as '~!)lJ, "buried, hidden" (Qal pass. part. masc. sg.; so Allegro and Lurie); or ,,!)t!, "dig" (Qal imperative masc. sg.; so the other scholars). Likewise, 1,!)n can be vocalized as l~!)lJ or l'!)t!. Since the Copper Scroll is a secret document 1isting hidden objects, it is probable that its compi1er(s) would not instruct someone to "dig" out these hidden objects. Therefore, the preferable reading is l~!)lJ\'~!)lJ, "buried, hidden" (like ~Ul0 == CU19 , "concealed" 1:7), rather than l'!)t!\"!)t!, "(you) dig. "24 The plurals TI,,~!)t! and TI"'~t!, "pits," are also derived from the same root (see #38,9:1-2). There are cases in Biblical and Mishnaic Hebrew, variations between the Dead Sea biblical readings and the Masoretic Text, as well as between cognates of Hebrew, Aramaic, and other Semitic languages, where nun and res interchange. 25 E.g., 1n::1, "to test," and ,n::1, "to select," are used interchangeably in Hebrew and in Aramaic. TI"?f l~r~ ::17 'i1.n ':1 '~~, its Targum is tot-t1~7~:;) 'IJ~ tot~7 'j?lJ ':1 tot~~, "I the Lord search the heart, test the kidneys" (Jer. 17:10). llJ~: i"'1~ ':1, "The Lord tests the righteous" (Ps. 11:5) can be rendered as if were written 'lJ~:, "The Lord chooses the righteous." :1~;:t '~y '~~f, '9'T:I"lIJf, 9t;?~~ tot'1'9'T:I~1~, "Behold, 1 have refined you, but not with silver, 1 have tested you in the fumace of adversity," rather than "I have chosen you" (Isa. 48:10). The Targum renders 1-t1"l1Jf,. This translation is supported by the reading of :1~'T:I~IJf" "I have tested you," in the Isaiah Scroll,26 Scripture says, "~o/ " ~tot"li?' '''i~~v1l'"lf?11'~"lry7 ~tot"li?: C'~"~, "the Sidonians call (Mount) Hermon Sirion, while the Amorites call it Senir" (Deut. 3:9),27 These variants suggests that the old pre-Israelite names were 24 This distinction is similar to the possible vocalizations of the preposition bet (see #20, 4:13). Regarding the vocalization of ntzm ("measure," imperative, or "measurement," noun), see #26,7:6; and for Lurie's reading of ;'1$,:lD" "hidden," see #1,1:2. 25 Cf. SB, 401, 522a, 762a; BY 7, 6277b). These two phonemes are members ofthe letter group lamed-mem-nun-rd (voiced sonorous). Regarding this group, see G. Bergsträsser, Hebräische Grammatik (1918) 1, 35; S. Moscati (ed.), An Introduction to the Comparative Grammar of the Semitic Languages: Phonology and Morphology (1969), 31-32; Z.S. Harris, Development of the Canaanite Dialects (1939), 3; Z. Ben-Hayyim, "Hebrew Grammar, " EI 8, 81-82. 26 See Radak's second explanation on this verse; also, BDB, 104a; SB, 98a. When 1n:l = ,n:l, Ben-Yehuda (1, 169-70, 505b n. 5, 508b-509a n. 4) lists it as aseparate root, notes that its Aramaic and Syriac cognate is ,n:l, and that some manuscripts have ,'nln:l. Mandelkern (1, 183c-d) connects 1n:l with ,n:l. Steinberg (97b-98a, 105b) relates the roots 1n:l, ,n:l, ':l:l, and 'p:l with each other. Jastrow (155) equates the Hebrew and Aramaic 1n:l with ,n:l, and derives 1n:l, ,n:l, ,n:l, and Ilm:l from the bilateral root n:l. Twice 1n:l is rendered by Onkelos as 1n:l, while Pseudo-Jonathan as ,n:l (Gen. 42:15-16). Kasovsky's Ozar Leshon Targum Onkelos (1, 65b-66a) lists these two cases as ,n:l. Kutscher notes that in the Masoretic text in three-four cases ,n:l means 1n:l (UBIS, 169-70. 27 "~ip also occurs in Ezek. 27:5; Songs 4:8; 1 Chron. 5:23; while l""1iu in Ps. 29:6. Mount Hermon also had a fourth name, l'~"1ry l(';,ll('iu '0 '~1, "and unto Mount Sion which

COPPER SCROLL - ITEM 17

167

kept alive. Both forms have Akkadian paralieis, Sirara and Saniru (i. e., the same interchange). Moreover, these variants have double interchanges, nunres and reS-nun. They also suggest that certain languages or dialects prefer one form to another. Finally, there are of words in the Scroll, where a waw or yod may be read as a short headed res or a short legged final nun. In both possibilities, based on the nun-res interchange, the final results are the same (see #38, 9:2).28 (4:8) 9t;:)f. 1'~7.~ l'"1~' '~o/ ~~, "there are two pots full of silver (pieces/shekels)" - The drawings differ. BAKERdr: 1"" or l"", the nun looks like a combination of a regular and final nun, and it left touch es the upper part of a lamed in the next line; l~f;,~, no yod; bet/ka/, nun, followed by a ligature of a regular nun and final nun, i.e., Pl:J or pl:l. MILlKdr : 1"", dear final nun; 1'~lm, a very small yod touches the bottom of the left side of the alef, bet/ka/, a waw touching the bottom of the previous letter, and on its left side a thin almost vertical line hangs on it, followed by a regular nun-final pe ligature, i.e., 9l':J or 9l':I. ALLEGROdr: l"", the vertical and horizontallines of the regular nun crosses each other; 1'~f;,~, the yod touches upper part of the left side of the alef, 90:1, where the left lover part of the samekh and the final pe is connected by aalmost horizontal line. The term O~, "there," appears in additional two pi aces in the Scroll: ~~ f;,?R, "there (is) a qalal (vessel)" (see #25, 6:4), and 9t;:)~ I'(, cubit. 28 WILMOT: for !)O:J 11~1'( read !)O:J