ricoblog - Dead Sea Scrolls -- 1QpHab XII.2-10

Sunday, October 10, 2004

So, I'm reading this book (The Face of New Testament Studies by McKnight & Osborne). The essay on interpretation of parables (“Modern Approaches to the Parables” by Klyne Snodgrass) starts off with a brief historical survey of the allegorization of parables. It mentions that allegorization was done in Qumran, and then gives a reference: “see 1QpHab XII.2-10”. (p. 178).

I think, “Hey, I've got access to an English translation of the non-Bible scrolls in The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition. I wonder if I can find that reference?”

See, when you run across a reference like 1QpHab, even though it is referring to Habakkuk, the lower-case 'p' indicates that it is referring to the pesher on Habakkuk, this one found in Qumran cave 1. A pesher is like a commentary, at least from what I remember. This one is referring column 12, lines 2-10. So I knew I should have this in the DSSSE.

And I found it! Way cool. Here's the text:

2 The interpretation of the word concerns the Wicked Priest, to pay him the
3 reward for what he did to the poor. Because Lebanon is
4 the Council of the Community and the animals are the simple folk of Judah, those who observe
5 the Law. God will sentence him to destruction,
6 exactly as he intended to destroy the poor. And as for what he says: Hab 2:17 « Owing to the blood
7 of the city and the violence (done to) the country ». Its interpretation: the city is Jerusalem
8 in which the /Wicked/ Priest performed repulsive acts and defiled
9 the Sanctuary of God. The violence (done to) the country are the cities of Judah which
10 he plundered of the possessions of the poor.

García Martínez, F., & Tigchelaar, E. J. C. (1997-1998). The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition (Translations). Vol. 2 published: Leiden ; Boston.; "This book offers a fresh English translation of all the relevant non-biblical texts found at Qumran, arranged by serial number from Cave 1 to Cave 11"--Pref. (Vol. 1, Page 21). Leiden; New York: Brill.