the-bible-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls

188 THREE SOBRIQUETS, THEIR MEANING AND FUNCTION
PROPER NAMES IN THE PESHARIM
The fact that proper names are used in the pesharim should also be considered
here. In one passage in the Nahum Pesher, 16 two names of Seleucid rulers
occur: Demetrius and Antiochus (swkytn)m . . . Nwy Klm swr+[ymd]).
Demetrius stands as the object of the interpretation: “[Interpreted this
concerns Deme]trius king of Yavan.”
Apparently, there was no need to replace Demetrius’s name with a
sobriquet. I suggest that “Demetrius” is just referred to as another
Seleucid ruler here. His name and his deeds, referred to in the exegesis,
may be looked upon with dislike, but he is no immediate threat to the
Qumran community.
Interestingly enough, in this passage the name “Demetrius” stands in
apposition to “king of Yavan.” 17 In a way, the apposition says more about
Demetrius than his proper name does, identifying him as king of Yavan.
Moreover, in 4QpPs a (4Q171) 3.15 on Ps 37:23–24, “the Righteous Teacher”
stands in apposition to “the Priest” ([qdc]h hrwm Nhwkh). This
means that Nhwkh had to be clarified here. In these passages, the sobriquets
stand as appositional phrases.
THE SEMANTICS OF SOBRIQUETS
A sobriquet is used instead of a proper name. The person referred to by
the sobriquet is renamed because of a quality inherent in that person.
This special quality is generally expressed in the sobriquet.
Consequently, a sobriquet has a denotation: someone is referred to.
Sobriquets also have connotations; good or bad associations are connected
with the name. Finally, sobriquets have a sense; they say something about
their bearer. Let us consider the example of the Wicked Priest.
The sobriquet (#$rh Nhwkh, “The Wicked Priest,” says basically two
things about its bearer: first, the bearer of the name is a priest, and second,
he is a wicked person. 18 Naturally, the sobriquet as a whole is supposed
to give the reader negative connotations.
16. 4QpNah (4Q169) frags. 3–4 1.2–3
17. Nwy probably denotes Greece or the Seleucid kingdom in Dan 10:20; 11:2. In
Gen 10:2, Yavan (Javan) is one of Japhet’s sons.
18. In this context, (#$r could also mean “illegitimate.” Further, (#$r could also
denote the priesthood or priestly dynasty and not necessarily a single person.