4Q559
4Q559 is the name of a fragmentary papyrus manuscript from Qumran . 4Q denotes cave no. 4 of Q umran in which the fragments were found, 559 is a consecutive number. The content-oriented designation of the script is Biblical Chronology ar ( ar for Aramaic ).
Description of the handwriting
The manuscript has been preserved in twelve fragments, six of which, however, are too small to provide a meaningful collection of texts. The piece formerly counted as fragment no. 8 is probably not part of the same manuscript, among other things the letter form of the ג ( Gimel ) differs from the other fragments.
The scriptural style is classified as "late Hasmonean-early Herodian", ie approx. 50–30. v. Chr.
The Aramaic language is Hasmonean- Aramaic. Only long vowels, with the exception of “a”, are also identified in the script, short vowels remain unmarked. Numbers are written with vertical bars as usual.
content
Since the beginning and end of the already fragmentary script are missing, only a few statements can be made about the content. The sentences and parts of sentences obtained essentially provide genealogical information according to the scheme PN testifies to the PN at the age of XX years . Obviously, the main concern was to create a continuous chronology of world history from the basic framework of biblical key data, and to do so over long periods using a family tree. The series of personal names received begins with Isaac and first runs towards Aaron . It is interesting that this is apparently assigned the decisive role in the Exodus . Possibly from this one can infer the priestly interests of those circles to which this tradition is owed. The other fragments then call the judges of Israel , but without the in the Book of Judges existing deuteronomistic frame.
Relationships with other written works
The spelling of some names (e.g. Kush-Rishatajim instead of Kushan-Rishatajim) indicates differences to the Masoretic text of the Bible, but proximity to the Septuagint . Material of a similar genre is contained in the Book of Jubilees or the Aramaic Levi Document , as well as the Jewish-Hellenistic exegete Demetrios. However, there are a number of differences in the figures, especially to Demetrios.
literature
- G. Wilhelm Nebe: 4Q559 "Biblical Chronology". In: Zeitschrift für Althebraistik 10 (1997) pp. 85–88.
- G. Wilhelm Nebe: Biblical Chronology. In: Lawrence H. Schiffman; James C. VanderKam (Ed.): Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls. New York 2000, pp. 94-95.
- Émile Puech: 559. 4QpapChronologie biblique ar. In: Discoveries in the Judaean Desert XXXVII, pp. 263-289.
- Michael O. Wise : To Know the Times and the Seasons: A Study of the Aramaic Chronograph 4Q559. In: Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha 15 (1997) pp. 3-51.