Subject: Re: Isa 13:16 in IQisa

From: Andrew Gross <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 10 Feb 1996 20:23:33 -0500 (EST)

On Thu, 8 Feb 1996, Mark and Beth LaRocca-Pitts wrote:

> I am doing a text-critical reading of Isa 13-14 and ran across a couple
> of interesting problems with the IQisa rendering of Isa 13:16. One
> problem is grammatical and the second is cultural(?). The gram. problem
> is as follows: in IQisa 13:16 there are two different third plural masc.
> pronominal suffixs. There is the expected -hm on 'ynyhm ("their eyes")
> and on btyhm ("their houses"). However, on two other words is an
> unexpected -hmh, where orthographically the mem is not final. This -hmh
> ending is seen on 'wlylyhmh ("their children") and on n$yhmh ("their
> wives"). How can this be explained? Have I missed something in my
> training, or more likely forgotten something?
 
Your best bet for getting a good answer to this question is to see what 
E. Y. Kutscher has to say in his volume _The Language and Linguistic 
Background of the Isaiah Scroll_ (Brill, 1974).  See especially pp.449f.

In evaluating Qumran variants from a text critical point of view, you 
should also see what Emanuel Tov has to say, _Textual Criticism of the 
Hebrew Bible_ (Fortress, 1993).

> The second problem is more cultural--I assume. In the MT of Isa 13:16 is
> the rather rare root $gl meaning "to violate, ravish" (BDB 993b); that
> is, "to rape." Because of its supposedly obscene meaning, the word is
> glossed with the Qr $kb, "to lie with" (and as found in Targum
> Jonathan). In IQisa, however, the word is smudged (?) out leaving only
> t---nh (cf. Scrolls from Qumran Cave I, J.C. Trever, plate XI). Is there
> evidence of a seemingly prudish tradition at Qumran? Or, am I reading
> too much into a "coincidental" smudge?

Kutscher does not mention this one in his list of erasures (p531f.).  
This tradition of glossing $gl with $kb occurs in other places (e.g. Ruth 
3:4, Jeremiah 3:2, Zechariah 14:2).  Have you checked to see if any of 
these passages were found among the Qumran scrolls?

> Thanks for the forum in which I can ask these questions.

Actually, the "hardcore" text critics are over on the Textual Criticism 
list, and so I have cross-posted my response there.  ;-)

> Mark A. LaRocca-Pitts
> [email-masked]

andrew gross

---

From: avigdor horovitz <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 11 Feb 1996 14:44:41 +0200 (IST)

On Sat, 10 Feb 1996, Andrew Gross wrote:

> 
> On Thu, 8 Feb 1996, MBark and Beth LaRocca-Pitts wrote:> 
> >
>  > 
>  

Forget Ruth 3:4 but add Deuteronomy 28:30 for replacement of $kb by $gl.  
Also, if you are interested in the phenomenon of Bowlderizing Qere and 
Ketiv check words such as 'plym> thrym (Dt. 28:27) mhr't>mwsa'ot (II KI 
10:27).  I don't know if any of these passages is attested in Qumran.
Victor Avigdor Hurowitz

---

From: [email-masked] (David Washburn)
Date: Sun, 11 Feb 1996 21:47:52 -0700 (MST)

> > too much into a "coincidental" smudge?

Several words above and below this word seem to be smudged, as well.  I'm 
looking at the same plate you referenced, and there is what appears to be 
a water stain or some sort of spill in that general area, beginning 3 or 
4 lines above the word in question and fanning out down to the bottom of 
the page.  It looks accidental to me.

> these passages were found among the Qumran scrolls?

Isa 13:16 is preserved also in 1QIsa(b), but I don't have the photo 
available.  It appears in E. L. Sukenik, "Dead Sea Scrolls of theHebrew 
University."  I have not found Ruth 3:4 among the DSS; likewise for 
Jeremiah 3:2 and Zech 14:2.  But my listing is only current through DJD 9.
I'm working on getting the newest volumes (not easy in rural Wyoming) and 
getting this book published one of these days...

-- 
Dave
			http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur/home.html
Seen in a classified ad: "Parachute for sale.  Used once.  Never opened."