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The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls: The ... - josephprestonkirk

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178 THE COMMUNITY OF LAY READERS<br />

1 Sam 14:47<br />

MT: yklmbw (cf. Tg., Vg.; twklmbw Syr.)<br />

4QSam a : Klmbw (cf. LXX, Josephus, Ant. 6.129)<br />

On <strong>the</strong> basis of several readings of <strong>the</strong> singular “king of Zobah” in 2 Sam<br />

8:3, 5, 12; 1 Kgs 11:23; <strong>and</strong> 1 Chr 18:3, 5, 9, <strong>the</strong>re is no reason to prefer<br />

a plural here.<br />

1 Sam 15:27<br />

MT: qzxyw (cf. Vulg.)<br />

4QSam a : lw)# qzxy[w] (cf. LXX, Syr., Josephus Ant. 6.152)<br />

4QSam a clarifies <strong>the</strong> subject; Saul grabbed <strong>the</strong> garment, not Samuel.<br />

1 Sam 17:4<br />

MT: ## (cf. LXX O , Vg., Syr.; #mx LXX mss )<br />

4QSam a : (br)G (cf. LXX BL , Josephus, Ant. 6.171)<br />

Michael Coogan proposes that a scribe wrote “six cubits” (twm) ##),<br />

anticipating “six hundred” (tw)m ##) in verse 7. 44 This proposal is<br />

appealing since most copyist errors are unintentional. A deliberate effort<br />

by a copyist to lower Goliath’s height is highly unlikely, for reducing <strong>the</strong><br />

Philistine’s height serves only to diminish David’s victory. 45<br />

1 Sam 24:14 (13 ET)<br />

MT: My(#rm ynmdqh (cf. LXX, Vg.)<br />

4QSam a : [My(#rm] Myynm[dqh (cf. Tg., Syr.)<br />

“As commentators have observed, <strong>the</strong> plural, ‘ancients,’ is expected. <strong>The</strong><br />

reading of MT arose from haplography, <strong>the</strong> final mêm of Mynmdqh being<br />

lost before <strong>the</strong> initial mêm of <strong>the</strong> following My(#rm. <strong>The</strong> loss almost certainly<br />

took place before <strong>the</strong> development of medial forms of <strong>the</strong> letter.” 46<br />

44. McCarter, I Samuel, 286.<br />

45. On this see ibid., 286.<br />

46. Cross et al., eds., Qumran Cave 4.XII: 1 <strong>and</strong> 2 Samuel (DJD 17). 81.

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