Physical Characteristics:

This is the 3rd and final page on the 16th strip of leather that makes up the scroll. It can be easily seen that this is the most narrow page in the scroll taking up only half the space of an ordinary page. The page is easily read with only a few superficial crease marks . The seam is in good condition at the left although there is no stitching material left at the top and bottom and the pages just lie adjacent being held together with only a few stitched in the center. The line marking the right margin is easily seen on this page There is a blemish which has eroded a few letters in the middle of the page between lines 11 to 13..

Paragraphs and Spatiums:

A new paragraph begins in line 8: = 65:8 and line 18: = 65:13; and in line 26; = 65:17 and a most unusual paragraph spacing begins in mid verse of 65:18 in line 28 which ends the verse and the page. An indentation in line 13 marks the beginning of a paragraph in 65:11. An unusual pair of spatiums separate the phrase "these are smoke in my nose" in line 3. The huge gap in line 18 is described under variations in notes under line 18 below.

Editorial marks:

There is a horizontal mark under line 12. No companion mark appears to couple with this mark, which usually but not always sets off the beginning of an important passage and ends the passage with a similar mark.

Editorial additions to the text:

In Line 17 "chaphatstiy" (I delight) is edited above the line to edit in a word that is the same as M. In Line 18 "adonay" is written above YHWH as an addition and not a replacement,

Q Scribal Spelling:

In line 1: next to last word: Q = "ha-chaziyr" (the pig or swine). Notice that it is spelled with waw after heth. This is a good example of waw standing for any vowel sound. Here it is the short "a" sound. (hateph pathach) Waw is inserted in words by Q scribes to indicate a vowel sound but it is not limited to "o" and "u" sounds as in the masoretic text but it can stand for any vowel. See further discussion of waw as semi vowel insertions by Q scribes in the introductory page. 1st word in line 11, 3rd fems suf is spelled "hiy" in. Continue to notice the addition of "he" to suffixes and sufformatives and pronoun "atem" as "atemah." There are similar additions to 2m and 2f suffixes.

Variations in Q from the Masoretic Text:

Line 1: 2nd word: Q= "be-notsriym" anywhere in modern Hebrew text this would mean "among Christians." See comments. See also comments in the commentary on this word. Line 1: last word: Q agrees with M qerey not kituv,
Line 2: 2nd word: Q adds prep. beth (in) to this word. "In" is not in M. 3rd from last word: M = "'aleyka" and Q has "'aleykah" the same word (upon you) This is a good example of Q scribes' addition of "he" to 2ms suf. to indicate an open sylable. Without the "he" it would indicate a closed sylable and be mistaken for 2fs suf. See the addition of "he" in the introductory page for more on this usage.
next to last word: Q = " 'al-tig'a" (don't touch) and M = "al tigash:" (don't come near) However the negative "'al" does not begin with aleph. The letter is improperly shaped and resembles a "he" or heth. last word: "biy' " spelled with aleph (on me).
Line 3: 1st word: Q = missing word "kiy" (because) is in M but not in Q.
Line 8: last word: Q = "va-yo'mru: cj + imp 3mpl (and they said) and M = "va-'amar" cj = pf 3ms (and he said).
Line 10: 2nd word: Q = an aleph missing from the mid-word,
Line 11: next to last word: Q editor adds an aleph to the verb "ve-hayah." This must be a mistake since the addition of aleph would make this a 3fs pronoun instead of verb 3ms which corresponds to M.
Line 12: 5th word: Q = "la-merevets" prep + part (for lying down) and M = "revets" noun (a lying down).
Line 14: 4th word: Q = missing article "he" found in M. 6th word: Q = missing prep "min"
Line 20: 6th word: Q = "be-tov (in good) and M = "mi-tov" (from good)
Line 21: 1st word: Q = "tiz 'ach" imp sms (you cry out) and M = "tits 'achu" imp 2mpl (you cry out).
Line 23: all the line: vs 15 and 16 Perhaps the first word in Q does not follow the context of the last line. This is mid way through vs 65:15. But this 1st word in line 23 appears to be "tamiyd" (continually). The word "yithbarak" (he will bless) has been suggested but the word is obviously not "yithbarak" even though the word "ha-mithbarek" art + part (and blessing) appears in the text as the 2nd word in vs 16 or 6 words after the beginning of the gap. But this word in question falls before the gap and belongs in the Q scribe's allocation to the end of vs 15 not the beginning of vs 16. The suggested word itself is also in vs 16 and is 8 words from the beginning of the gap but is also subject to the fact that the Q scribe considered this word to be part of vs 15 before the gap which includes the last four words of vs 15 and the first 6 words of vs 16 and an intervening verb "to be" not in M.
In the first word in line 23 the letter suggested as kaph is a daleth (or less likely a resh). There is no room on the margin for the supposed yod that does not appear. and the second letter is more likely samach than beth. If this is so the word is "tassod" 2nd stem imp 2ms. (you shall be intimately spoken of). Compare the daleth in this word with the daleth two words back where the scribe doubly inked over the daleth so it would not look like a resh. It is without doubt not a kaph. Whether the other letter is waw or yod makes little difference in identifying the word since it is used by the Q scribe as a semi-vowel. Q scribe interchanges waw and yod as semi-vowels without discrimination.
This word )"tasod" conforms with the context as the next 4 missing words here should be "ve-'avaday yiqr'a shem achar" (and he shall call his servants by another name) which is the M text.
Then there is a large gap in the line to indicate that the scribe knew there is missing text. Perhaps the manuscript he was copying from was faulty or blemished at this point.
Then there are 6 words missing from vs 16. After the gap the text begins in mid way through vs 16 but with "ve-hayah" (and it shall be) which is not in M. But the next word "ve-ha-nishb'a" (and the one who swears) begins anew the coincidence of both texts. The words missing from the first part of vs 16 in translation are: "that he who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth." There is still further confusion in the verse with word order changed but begins properly and continues in the next line.
Line 27: last word: Q = "shosh" imper sing (rejoice) and M = "shiyshu" imper pl (rejoice)
Line 28: 1st word Q = "ve-gil" cj + imper sing (and be glad) and M = "ve-giylu" cj + imper pl (and be glad).

Go to next "Q" scroll page Chapter 65:19 to 66:14

Return to Scroll Directory