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

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196 THREE SOBRIQUETS, THEIR MEANING AND FUNCTION<br />

Conclusion for 1QpHab 9.7–11<br />

In this passage an unjust act done against <strong>the</strong> Righteous Teacher is<br />

alluded to. And, of course, since an act like this against “<strong>the</strong> righteous in<br />

<strong>the</strong> community” cannot be tolerated, vengeance must be assured.<br />

1QpHab 9.12–10.1, Commentary on Hab 2:9–11<br />

[Interpreted, this] concerns <strong>the</strong> [Priest] who…that its stones might be laid<br />

in oppression <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> beam of its woodwork in robbery. And as for which<br />

He said (quote Hab 2:10b), interpreted this concerns <strong>the</strong> condemned<br />

House whose judgment God will pronounce in <strong>the</strong> midst of many peoples.<br />

He will bring him <strong>the</strong>nce for judgment <strong>and</strong> will declare him guilty in <strong>the</strong><br />

midst of <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>and</strong> will chastise him with fire of brimstone.<br />

<strong>The</strong> next passage is severely damaged at <strong>the</strong> beginning of column 10.<br />

Never<strong>the</strong>less, <strong>the</strong> interpretation first deals with an elaboration of <strong>the</strong><br />

metaphor in <strong>the</strong> cited lemma in Hab 2:11, of <strong>the</strong> crying stone <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

answering beam. <strong>The</strong> interpretation implies <strong>the</strong> picture of a building in<br />

which <strong>the</strong> stones <strong>and</strong> a beam suffer under oppression <strong>and</strong> robbery. After<br />

repeating a lemma from verse 10b, <strong>the</strong> judgment <strong>the</strong>me is taken up again.<br />

<strong>The</strong> text makes a reference (unclear for us) to +p#$mh tyb, “<strong>the</strong> house<br />

of judgment, or justice.” Later, a pronoun in third person (sing. masc.)<br />

appears: wnl(y, “he (God) will bring him (?).” If <strong>the</strong> pronoun refers to <strong>the</strong><br />

Priest, <strong>the</strong>n again, it alludes to <strong>the</strong> future condemnation.<br />

Conclusion for 1QpHab 9.12–10.1<br />

I suggest that 10.4–5 implies <strong>the</strong> condemnation of <strong>the</strong> Wicked Priest.<br />

Moreover, this time <strong>the</strong> condemnation is thought of in future terms; <strong>the</strong><br />

message is that “justice has not yet been done, but it is on its way!”<br />

1QpHab 11.2–8, Commentary on Hab 2:15<br />

Interpreted, this concerns <strong>the</strong> Wicked Priest who pursued <strong>the</strong> Righteous<br />

Teacher to <strong>the</strong> house of his exile that he might confuse him with his venomous<br />

fury. And at <strong>the</strong> time appointed for rest, for <strong>the</strong> Day of Atonement,<br />

he appeared before <strong>the</strong>m to confuse <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>and</strong> to cause <strong>the</strong>m to stumble<br />

on <strong>the</strong> Day of Fasting, <strong>the</strong>ir Sabbath of repose.

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