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

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HÅKAN BENGTSSON 203<br />

This last passage to be discussed in <strong>the</strong> pesharim is badly damaged. <strong>The</strong><br />

translation of Vermes (above) is based on two ra<strong>the</strong>r daring conjectures.<br />

First of all, <strong>the</strong> conjecture that hrwm is understood as coming before<br />

[qy]dch (4.8) This is impossible, as <strong>the</strong> emendations of Allegro <strong>and</strong><br />

Lohse show for 4.8. Anyway, <strong>the</strong> Wicked Priest watched a righteous person.<br />

That is all that possibly can be inferred here. <strong>The</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r emendation,<br />

though more plausible, would, so to speak, overrule <strong>the</strong> objections to<br />

Vermes’s first reading. 67 <strong>The</strong> text is damaged before <strong>the</strong> word hrwthw,<br />

<strong>and</strong> only an uncertain ta4w can be discerned at <strong>the</strong> end of 4.8. <strong>The</strong> emendation<br />

must <strong>the</strong>n be a qualified guess. If a word like “precept” (qwh) is<br />

presupposed, it is intriguing because <strong>the</strong>n this passage could be an<br />

allusion to <strong>the</strong> Halakic Letter, 4QMMT (= 4Q394–399). 68<br />

Anyhow, this passage does not give any fur<strong>the</strong>r information that is not<br />

given in 1QpHab. <strong>The</strong> triad <strong>the</strong> Wicked Priest, <strong>the</strong> Liar, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Righteous Teacher is present in <strong>the</strong> Psalms Pesher to Psalm 37, as in <strong>the</strong><br />

Habakkuk Pesher. 69 <strong>The</strong> Wicked Priest <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Liar are opponents of <strong>the</strong><br />

Righteous Teacher. In this passage <strong>the</strong> description of <strong>the</strong> Wicked Priest<br />

is very much in <strong>the</strong> same line as in 1QpHab 9.7–11, which says he acted<br />

in a hostile manner toward <strong>the</strong> community, but eventually he will receive<br />

retaliation from God. <strong>The</strong> punishment is more detailed in this passage:<br />

<strong>the</strong> Wicked Priest will be given into <strong>the</strong> violent h<strong>and</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Gentiles, a<br />

description quite similar to 1QpHab 9.7.<br />

Conclusion for 4QpPs a 4.7–10 on Ps 37:32–33<br />

It seems that <strong>the</strong> unfavorable picture of <strong>the</strong> Wicked Priest is also reflected<br />

in <strong>the</strong> Psalms Pesher to Psalm 37. <strong>The</strong> overall picture given in 4QpPs a<br />

(4Q171) 4.7–10 does not contradict <strong>the</strong> description given of <strong>the</strong> Wicked<br />

Priest in 1QpHab.<br />

67. If precept (qwx) is meant, it may still refer to <strong>the</strong> Halakic Letter, 4QMMT, presumably<br />

sent by <strong>the</strong> Righteous Teacher.<br />

68. Elisha Qimron, “Miqs[at Ma(ase HaTorah.” ABD 4:843–45 (esp. 844).<br />

69. Psalms Pesher a (4Q171): “<strong>The</strong> Wicked Priest,” 4.8; “<strong>The</strong> Liar,” 1.26; 4.14; “<strong>The</strong><br />

Righteous Teacher,” 3.15; 4.26. Habakkuk Pesher (1QpHab): “<strong>The</strong> Wicked Priest,”<br />

8.8–9 et passim; “<strong>The</strong> Liar/Spouter of Lies,” 2.1–2 et passim; “<strong>The</strong> Righteous<br />

Teacher,” 1.13 et passim.

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