The text-critical and exegetical value of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Abstract

This article will analyse a number of Dead Sea manuscripts and/or fragments in order to determine their linguistic and exegetical value. The article will, firstly, address textual material that is largely in agreement with the Massoretic Text – 1QIsaa is a case in point. Secondly, fragmentsthat are seemingly less relevant will be discussed. The less helpful fragments from the Biblical books Proverbs and Job are taken as examples. Finally, highly significant textual differences, such as a fragment from Genesis 1 and one from the complicated books of Jeremiah, will be evaluated.

Proverbs in Recent Research

“…Beeckman suggests that the translator could be characterized as a well-educated Jew, fluent in Greek. Considering the theology of the Greek version of Proverbs, using Proverbs 1, 2, and 8 as a pilot study, Cook (2015) determined that the Greek translation of Proverbs is not about speculative wisdom, is averse to Hellenistic wisdom, and subordinates Sophia's role to God.…”

“…On relationship with Mesopotamian Literature, see Hurowitz (2013aHurowitz ( , 2013b. On the connection with the Dead Sea Scrolls, note Brewer-Boydston (2012), Sasson (2013b), Uusimäki (2013), Cook (2016), Venter (2016), Tooman (2018), Bakker (2020), and Goff. On rabbinic and Hellenistic/Roman Jewish connections, see Osborne (2014), Pasternak and Yonak (2014), Rosen-Zvi (2016), Pouchelle (2019), Mermelstein (2020), Schofer (2020), andTropper (2020).…”