SCRIBAL PRACTICES AND APPROACHE S ... - Emanuel Tov

250 Chapter 8: Scribal Traditions
s. Ruling with ink
t. Final handle sheets
a. Paragraphos signs (figs. 1.2–1.7 1.2 1.7 and 11.2,6) 11.2
The paragraphos and similar paragraphing devices usually occur in conjunction with a system of
notation of open or closed sections. The majority of the Qumran texts listed in ch. 5c1 as
containing such signs (thirty-three) are Hebrew texts written according to the Qumran scribal
practice (twenty-two). In addition, these signs occur in three biblical texts, three Aramaic texts,
and five texts that were either not copied by the Qumran group of scribes, or whose character is
unclear. The data are also tabulated in APPENDIX 1.
The fact that the majority of the texts containing paragraphos signs were written in the
Qumran orthography and morphology forms a convincing link between this scribal practice and
the Qumran community, especially since most of these texts also contain a sectarian content. The
exact number of occurrences of these signs in the Qumran sectarian scrolls cannot be determined
due to their fragmentary state of preservation. It is, however, clear that their use was probably
limited to certain scribes, users, or periods since less than half of the sectarian texts display these
signs.
b. Cancellation dots (figs. 6.1–6.4 6.1 6.4)
The practice of using cancellation dots is evidenced in fifty-two biblical and nonbiblical texts
written in the Qumran scribal practice, eight texts not written in that system, six texts of unclear
orthographic practice, and three Aramaic texts (ch. 5c2). Since only half of the Qumran texts large
enough for analysis reflect the features of the Qumran scribal practice, and the majority of the
texts using the scribal dots are written in the Qumran orthography and morphology, the use of
cancellation dots may be considered characteristic of that scribal practice. Since cancellation dots
are used only in half of the texts written in the Qumran scribal practice, the use of this practice
was probably limited to certain scribes or periods.
g. Crossing out of letters and words with a line (fig. 7)
Words or letters were crossed out in thirteen biblical and nonbiblical texts written in the Qumran
scribal practice, seven texts not written in that system, and three Aramaic texts. See ch. 5c2 and
TABLE 16. Since this scribal practice is used only in a small number of sectarian texts, it was
probably limited to certain scribes, users, or periods.
d. Parenthesis signs (figs. 8.1–3) 8.1
Parenthesis signs were used in five texts written in the Qumran scribal practice and three texts not
written in that system for indicating omissions and, in one instance, an addition. See ch. 5c2.
e. Writing of the divine names with paleo-Hebrew characters (figs. 26, 26 27) 27
Of the twenty-eight manuscripts using paleo-Hebrew characters for the divine names in the
middle of a text written in square characters, nineteen or twenty (if 1QPs b is included) are
nonbiblical; six or seven (if 1QPs b is included) are biblical manuscripts; one is probably a
rewritten Bible manuscript (2QExod b ); the nature of 3Q14 is unclear. All texts in this group that
are large enough for analysis, with the exception of 4QS d (4Q258), reflect the orthography and