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

68 THE COVENANT IN QUMRAN
soul and with all your might” (Kd)m), as it was interpreted in the Second
Temple period by the translators, the rabbinic sages, and the Gospels. I
propose that there are three nuances of meaning in these texts.
First, “Knowledge” (t(d) in early rabbinic usage comes in place of
the “heart” in the Bible. So, for example, we find instead of directing
one’s heart to the Lord (Mishnah, Berakot 5:1), “directing his knowledge
to heaven” (Mishnah, Menah[ot 13:1). Indeed Abraham Ibn-Ezra in his
interpretation of “with all your heart (Kbbl)” says, “the heart is the
knowledge and it marks the spirit of intelligence.” Similarly, we read in
Mark 12:33 that the Israelites were required to love God with all the
heart, with all the knowledge (Gk. synesis), with all the soul and with all
the might (Gk. ischys). And as we shall see later the rabbinic discussions
of “with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might” in
Deuteronomy 6 are reflected in the New Testament.
In the Gospels, in addition to the heart, knowledge, soul and strength
(Gk. ischys), we find also Gk. dianoia (Mark 12:30; Matt 22:37; Luke
10:27). It seems that dianoia renders here the term bw+ rcy that according
to the sages is learned from Kbbl lkb: “with the two of your inclinations
Myrcy good inclination bw+ rcy and bad inclination (r rcy.”
The Hebrew term rcy is translated in the Septuagint by dianoia (in Gen
6:5, 8:21 and in 1 Chr 29:18). Similarly dianoia occurs in the verses where
the heart denotes the (r rcy, as for example in Num 15:39, “So that
you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge.”
In the second place, the strength and the wealth in the Rule of the
Community and the strength and the might in the Damascus Document are
translations for the biblical d)m. This might be learned from the diverse
versions and from rabbinic literature. Thus we find that Kd)m lkb is
translated by the Septuagint to Deut 6:5 “with all your strength,” and
“with all your might” in the Septuagint to 2 Kgs 23:25. Similarly in the
New Testament d)m is translated by ischys (Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27).
The Aramaic versions and the rabbinic tradition rendered as
property or wealth Nwmm, which equals Nwh in the Qumran writings. In
Targum Onkelos: “with all your property lkb Kskn”; in Targum Pseudo-
Jonathan and Targum Neofiti: “with all your money” Nwknwmm lkb and
so renders Rabbi Eliezer in the Sifre to Deuteronomy (section 32, 58) and
in the Mishnah (Berakhot 9:5). In fact, ischys and dynamis in the Septuagint
connote the meanings of wealth and money, as xk and lyx in the Bible
mark might and property. Thus, for example, in Ezekiel 27 alone the
Hebrew word Nwh denotes once ischys (v. 12) and twice dynamis (vv. 18,