SCRIBAL PRACTICES AND APPROACHE S ... - Emanuel Tov

92 Chapter 4: Technical Aspects of Scroll Writing
MasShirShabb 26 (21 cm)
4QShirShabb d (4Q403) 50 (18 cm)
4QInstr b (4Q416) 21, 22 (16.5 cm)
4QInstr c (4Q417) 27, 28 (20.0–21.5 cm)
4QInstr d (4Q418) c. 29 or 28
4QH c (4Q429) 12 (10.3 cm)
4QpapH f (4Q432) 17 (19.0 cm + margins)
1QH a 41, 42 (32 cm)
4QBarkhi Nafshi c (4Q436) 11 (9.7 cm)
4QBarkhi Nafshi d (4Q437) 16 (15.0–15.4+ cm)
4QprEsth a ar (4Q550) 7, 8 (5.8 cm)
4QprEsth d ar (4Q550c) 7, 8 (6.0 cm)
4QprEsth b ar (4Q550a) 7 (6.5 cm)
11QT a (11Q19) 22, 28 or 22, 25/26, 28, 29
11QT b (11Q20) 26 (26.9–27.9 cm + margins)
4QCal Doc/Mish D (4Q325) 7 (7.0 cm, slightly reconstructed).
4QCal Doc/Mish B (4Q321) 8, 9 (7.7–8.5 cm)
4QCal Doc/Mish A (4Q320) 14 (14.0 cm, slightly reconstructed)
4QCal Doc D (4Q394 1–2) 16 (9.0 cm)
In the formulation of some general conclusions on the scope of compositions written in leather
scrolls, many details remain uncertain, especially since some biblical scrolls probably contained
only selections. With some exceptions, biblical and nonbiblical compositions are contained in
scrolls of similar dimensions, while in some of them, a remarkable degree of consistency is
recognizable (the Five Scrolls, 4QprEsth ar, 4QD). It should be remembered that as a rule the
number of lines is indicative of the size of the scroll: the higher the column, the wider the lines,
and the longer the scroll.
Biblical Scrolls
Torah: The average scroll of a single book of the Torah probably contained 20–30 lines per column. Scrolls of a
smaller size would not have contained the complete books, and the longer ones (40–60 lines) could have contained
two or more books. Thus in Genesis five long copies (4QGen b,e , SdeirGen, MurGen-Num, 4QExod b [= 4Q[Gen-
]Exod b ]) contain 40–50 lines, while the smaller ones, 4QGen d,g,f , contain 11, 14, and 17 lines. Medium-length
copies contain 24 and 25 lines. 4QGen d , with merely 11 lines and 4QExod e with 8 lines definitely did not contain
the complete books. 4QDeut j,n,q probably contained liturgical excerpts.
Major Prophets: Average copies of a single scroll contained 30–40 lines in the cases of Isaiah and Ezekiel and
20–30 lines in the case of Jeremiah. 4QEzek b with 11 lines is an exception, and according to J. E. Sanderson, DJD
XV, 216 it is unlikely that this scroll contained the entire text of Ezekiel as it would have been an improbable 32
meters long with 280 columns. A single scroll of Isaiah is also mentioned in Luke 4:16-21. Prior to reading, Jesus
unrolled this scroll and then rerolled it (ptuvssw and ajnaptuvssw in vv 17 and 20) once he had finished.
Psalms: The smaller scrolls were of a limited size, containing only Psalm 119 (1QPs a , 4QPs g [illustr. 1 7
1 7a],
4QPs h , 5QPs [for the latter two and 1QPs a , no measurements can be made]), Psalm 104 (4QPs l ), or a small
anthology of psalms, while the longer ones contained all or most biblical Psalms. At the same time, we lack specific
data on the contents of many of the Psalms scrolls that are known in a variety of sizes, from 8 to 60+ lines.
Five Scrolls: All known copies of the Five Scrolls (with the exception of 4QQoh a ) are small; see the analysis in
TABLE 15. With the exception of 4QLam, which probably was preceded by another book, probably all preserved
specimens of the Five Scrolls contained a single book only.
Daniel: 4QDan a,b,c contained 16–22 lines, while 4QDan e was smaller (9 lines). According to E. Ulrich, DJD
XVI, 287, the latter scroll probably contained only a segment of the book, as 120 columns would have been needed
to contain the complete book.