SCRIBAL PRACTICES AND APPROACHE S ... - Emanuel Tov

Scribal Practices and Approaches Reflected in the Texts from the Judean Desert 251
morphology of the Qumran scribal practice. See ch. 6b2, TABLE 1, and illustr. 3. We suggested
that this practice provides an inde-pendent control supporting our hypothesis since the approach
of the Qumran community to the divine names is known also from other indicators.
A reverse examination of the texts written in the Qumran scribal practice reveals that thirtysix
such texts did not use a special system for the writing of the divine names with paleo-Hebrew
characters (ch. 6b2 and TABLE 2) or Tetrapuncta (below, q). It therefore seems that within the
group of Qumran scribes different practices were employed for writing the divine names,
possibly at different times.
h. Single letters in the Cryptic A script written mainly in the margins (figs. 10.1–11 10.1 11)
The evidence for single letters in the Cryptic A script designating matters of special interest
relates to six texts written according to the Qumran scribal practice, all sectarian. The same
phenomenon also is found in one Aramaic and three biblical texts (one of them, 1QIsa a , is written
in the Qumran scribal practice). See ch. 5c3.
z. Single paleo-Hebrew letters (figs. 10.12–12.2
10.12 12.2)
Single paleo-Hebrew letters designating matters of special interest are found in five texts written
in the Qumran practice, as well as in three texts not written in that system. For details, see ch.
5c4 and APPENDIX 1. The connection between the paleo-Hebrew letters and the Qumran scribal
practice is less strong than in the preceding categories.
q. Tetrapuncta designating the Tetragrammaton (fig. 19) 19
Tetrapuncta (four dots) denoting the Tetragrammaton occur in eight texts written in the Qumran
scribal practice, as well as in five texts not written in this scribal practice. See ch. 5d, TABLE 1,
and illustr. 3. A connection between the Tetrapuncta and the Qumran scribal practice is probable.
i. The X-sign (fig. 22) 22
The X-sign, serving as a line-filler, is used in three Qumran texts written in the Qumran scribal
practice: 1QpHab, 4QCommGen A (4Q252)?, 11QT b (11Q20). It also designates matters of
special interest in three Qumran texts written according to the Qumran scribal practice: 1QIsa a ,
4QCatena A (4Q177), 4QInstr c (4Q417). See ch. 5c5. A connection between this sign and the
Qumran scribal practice is likely.
k. Separation dots between words (fig. 17) 17
Separation dots, written level with the tops of the letters or slightly above them, are evidenced
for seven texts written according to the Qumran scribal practice and one text not written in that
practice. See ch. 5c7.
l. Nonfinal letters used in final position and final letters used in nonfinal position
In 83 Qumran texts, nonfinal letters were written in final position. The connection between this
procedure and the Qumran scribal practice is very likely (78 percent of the 83 texts), but further
research is needed since the data in ch. 5g are not exhaustive.