Physical characteristics: This is the seventh page in the scroll and is the fourth page on the second leather strip of those that make up the scroll. The splice between this and the next page and strip is easily seen at the left. A certain amount of loosening has taken place in the splice and it is not as secure as some other splices in the scroll. The dark portion at the bottom is due to oxidation and is near to disintegration as has happened to the material that was in the lacunae. Vertical lines at the right seem to be margin guides. There is a large lacuna at the lower right. The word "end" and numerals 7 and 8 at mid page are inserted by me. So are the missing words of the lacuna. All other marks are original.
Paragraphs are marked by 1. the spaces left to the end of a line. Line 12 ends verse 22 and line 13 is the beginning of verse 7:23. Line 17 marks the end of chapter 7 and line 18 begins chapter 8. Line 24 ends verse 8:4 and verse 8:5 begins with the first word of line 25. 2. Line 10 marks a new paragraph by indenting the initial word which is the beginning of verse 21.
A unique Mark.
Line 8: in right margin There is a
"mark" that resembles a "tsade" at first glance but it is more
than doubtful that it might be a correction or addition to any of
the adjacent words. Because of the narrow margin between pages 6
and 7 it could be supposed to be an addition to words on either
page. However, line 8 ends with the word "ve-hay-yethah" cj +
3fs form of "to be" (and it shall be). There is no way a suffix
resembling this mark could be an addition to this word. Then the
first 2 words in page 7 on line 8 to which this mark might be
supposed to be attached as an editorial correction is "be-yom
ha-hu'" (in that day). There is little chance that the mark could
be a preformative correction for this form either. Further
complicating this mark is a very obvious remnant of a right
margin guide line which obscures the fact that there are two
parts to this mark (perhaps more) See the digital enlargement
and note the ink stroke on the margin line.
The possibility also remains that this unique mark simply marks the beginning of a portion of scripture and the horizontal stroke, two lines on in line 10, ends the section. For discussion of other marks and three peculiar unique marks see the introduction.
Line 15 and 16 Between line 15 and 16 toward the end of the line some notes were written between the line. The first of those, beginning over the word "shamah" is obliterated but the remnants can be seen. Over the the word "shamiyr" 4 letters are readable but the first is in doubt. The word may be "bozal or bazol" but what appears to be beth may in fact be mem and thus it may be "mazol or mozal" The latter is planet and refers to "luck." You decide. The enlarged section is below.
Editors Mark
Line 10: At the right margin see an editors horizontal stroke: It appears to mark only the fact that the scribe indented verse 21. However these marks usually come in pairs to mark the beginning and the end of what is an important section of text to the scribe. It is possible that the corresponding mark closing the section was in the lacuna below.. The indentation on this 10th line is the sign of the beginning of a paragraph when the last line has been filled with text. There is no indentation when a paragraph ends by leaving the rest of the line unfilled with text. as in line 12.
Letters added by an editor:
Line 1 has a beth above the 3rd from last word. The
beth was
left off "be-terem" (before) and was written above the line.
"Be-terem"
is the Masoretic reading. "Be-terem" is written correctly in line
22 the
7th word.
In line 2 a waw is added above the 3rd and the 5th
words the
second of the two has a dot on either side of the waw. The 2 dots
indicate
that the editor considered the addition of the waw a mistake.
In line 7 there may be a waw written between the 2
lameds of
the last word.
In line 9 the article ("he") is added above the word
(feet)
"raglayim."
In line 13 a mark whose meaning is obscure is between
the first
two words.
In line 18 verse 8:1 at the last word a beth (prep in
or on)
is added above the word "cheret" making "be-cheret" which is the
reading
in the Masoretic.
In line 17 the first letter has been over written and
an attempt
to correct a mistake is written over the word. The letter should
be a waw
(for ve-hayah) but it appears that a beth was inscribed and over
written
and a yod written above. Perhaps the scribe intended "yihyeh" imp
3ms for
"ve-hayah" cj + pf 3ms.
In line 27 "adonai" is written above the word in the
lacuna
that should be YHWH. Adonai is the Masoretic reading.
Other Variations in Q from the Masoretic Text:
Line 6: 2nd word: Q = "ve-le-debora'" ending the word
with
aleph while it ends with "he" in M. There is frequent interchange
of aleph
and "he" in Q at the end of words. For instance the word "qar'a"
(call)
is spelled with final "he" as often as with final aleph. Aleph is
correct.
See Introductory page
under section VI . E.
for more on aleph and "he" interchange and additions.
Line 9: 5th word: Q = :ha-raglayim: (the feet) The
Leningrad
codex has a different reading than M but Q agrees with M. 3rd
from last
word Q = sign of accusative " 'eth" spelled "atah" with final
"he." See introductory page note in last entry in line 6 above.
Line
14: next to last word: Q = "u-be-qeshetoth" (and with bows)
and M =
"u-be-qeshet" (and with a bow). Some translators all give bows
for the
singular form in M and some give bow and arrows. NIV gives bow
and arrow
in spite of arrows being plural in M and Q.
Line 19: 6th word: "ve-ha'ed" cj + 5th stem part (and
causing
to witness) 1cs "I" is understood; and M = 've- 'e'aidah" cj +
5th stem
imp 1cs + cohortive "he" (I caused them to witness).
Line 20: 4th and 6th words: Q = these words are names
that end
in "yahu" in Q and "yah" in M.
Line 22, 23: last word - 22 and 1st 2 words in 23: Q =
"le-qar'ah
'aviyv ve-'imo" prep + fem part ( to the calling of ) + noun+suf
3ms (his
father) + cj +noun + suf 3ms (and his mother) and M = "qer'a
'aviy ve-'imiy"
inf and noun + suf 1cs and noun + suf 1cs. (to call, my father
and my mother.)