Silver rolls from Ketef Hinnom
The silver rolls by Ketef Hinnom are two small rolls made of sheet silver that were made in the 7th century BC. Were made. The scrolls were found in 1979 in a bone box in Ketef Hinnom near Jerusalem and published by Gabriel Barkay ; they were probably worn on the body as an amulet .
They each contain a blessing in ancient Hebrew script , which are similar to blessings from the Tanach . They are the oldest surviving written evidence of biblical texts.
roll
The roll KH1 is 27 × 94 mm, the roll KH2 only 11 × 39 mm. Both are made from 99% silver and 1% copper. The writing shows similarities to the Siloam inscription .
The texts in the roles are only partially preserved. KH1 comprises 77 letters, 17 of which are not clearly legible. KH2 comprises 49 letters, 15 of which are not clearly legible. The blessing in the first role is very similar to God's promise of blessing according to the First Commandment ( Ex 20.6 ELB , cf. Dtn 5.10 ELB , Dtn 7.9 ELB , Dan 9.4 ELB and Neh 1.5 ELB ), the second to the Aaronic blessing ( Num 6,24–26 ELB ).
KH1
row | Hebrew transliteration | German translation |
---|---|---|
1 | - // יהו - | ..JHW (God) .. |
2 | ----- | ----- |
3 | ------ | ----- [he stops] |
4th | א] אב הבר] | the commandment \ covenant |
5 | - חסד לאה | Grace to those who love him |
6th | ב / לשמרי - | ... and hold |
7th | --- בכ - | ...? ... |
8th | - חהעלמש | ? forever? ... or take it easy |
9 | בה - המכל - | ...? ... from all |
10 | - ומהרע - | ... and of evil ... |
11 | כיבוגאל - | ... because in him there is redemption ... |
12 | הכי יהוה - | ...? because YHWH |
13 | שימ / נמו | ...? ? ? ... |
14th | כור יבר | ...? bless it |
15th | [כ יהוה [ו | you YHWH [and] |
16 | י שמרכ י | protect yourself |
17th | אר יהוה | let it shine YHWH |
18th | [פ] נ [יו אלי] | [his face up]? |
19th | [כ ויחנכ] ------ | [you] ? |
KH2
row | Hebrew transliteration | German translation |
---|---|---|
1 | - [ הברו [כ | It seg [ne] .. |
2 | -א / ו ניהו - | ...? YHW (God) ... |
3 | - [ר-יה [ו | ? ... JH [W] ... |
4th | --ר / ד עה - | ...? Evil (?) ... |
5 | - שיברכ | ? ... |
6th | יהוה ו | JHWH and |
7th | י] שמרכ ] | protect yourself |
8th | יאר \\ יה | Let it shine \\ JH- |
9 | וה] \\ פניו ] | [WH] \\ his face |
10 | אל] יכ ו י] | on you and |
11 | שמ לכ ש | give you F- |
12 | [ לו [מ | ried [en] |
13 | ------ | ... |
14th | ------ | ... |
15th | --כמ-- | ...? ... |
16 | ------ | ... |
17th | -ור-נ- | ...? ...? ... |
18th | ------ | ... |
The text has strong parallels to the Aaronic Blessing in Numbers 6: 24-26. Lines 1-3 could also read: "[D] u are blessed [net Net] anjahu, son of [Be] rechjah [u] ..."
Luther Bible 1984 |
Masoretic text |
---|---|
The lord bless you and take care of you. | יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָה וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ |
The LORD make his face shine on you, and be gracious to you. | יָאֵר יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ |
The Lord lift up his face upon you, and give you peace. | יִשָּׂא יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם |
history
In 1979 archaeological investigations in Ketef Hinnom in the Hinnom Valley, southwest of the city wall of the old city of Jerusalem, also found the silver scrolls. It took three years before the fragile pieces could be rolled up and the engraved inscriptions deciphered.
In 1995, the German theologians Johannes Renz and Wolfgang Röllig denied dating to the 7th century BC. And believed a later emergence in the 3rd century for possible. Research by the University of Southern California then confirmed that the feats actually existed as early as the 7th century BC. BC, a few years before the conquest of Jerusalem in 586/587 BC. Were made.
literature
- Gabriel Barkay: The Riches of Ketef Hinnom. Jerusalem tomb yields Biblical text four centuries older than Dead Sea Scrolls. In: Biblical Archeology Review , Volume 35, Number 4, 2009 ( online ).
- Angelika Berlejung : A program for life. Theological word and anthropological place of the silver amulets of Ketef Hinnom. In: Journal for Old Testament Science , Volume 120, 2008, ISSN 0934-2796 , pp. 204-230.
- Karl Jaroš : The oldest fragments of a biblical text: on the silver amulets of Jerusalem , Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 1997, ISBN 978-3-8053-2401-4 .
Web links
Remarks
- ^ Johannes Renz and Wolfgang Röllig: Handbook of ancient Hebrew epigraphy . Darmstadt: Scientific Book Society, 1995
- ↑ Gabriel Barkay, Andrew G. Vaughn, Marilyn J. Lundberg, and Bruce Zuckerman: The Amulets from Ketef Hinnom: A New Edition and Evaluation . Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 334, 2004: 41-71