Biblical Interpretation at Qumran.

• Author: Davies, Philip R.
• Position: Book review

Biblical Interpretation at Qumran. Edited by MATTHIAS HENZE. Studies in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature. Grand Rapids, Mich.: WM. B. EERDMANS PUBLISHING Co., 2005. Pp. xiii + 214. $25 (paper).

This very useful volume contains nine essays and an introduction. The treatment of themes and quality of the discussion varies, but overall a great deal of detailed information and analysis is provided. The essays by Michael Segal, "Between Bible and Rewritten Bible"; by Moshe Bernstein and Shlomo Koyfman on "The Interpretation of Biblical Law in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Forms and Methods"; and by Shani Berrin on "Qumran Pesharim" are essentially taxonomic; they also rely largely on the rabbinic literature for comparison. George Brooke's discussion of "Thematic Commentaries on Prophetic Scriptures," while identifying a number of common factors, underlines rather the variety of forms and techniques that are employed in the service of sectarian eschatological concerns, while Monica Brady, "Biblical Interpretation in the Pseudo-Ezekiel Fragments (4Q383-391) from Cave Four," suggests that the work they represent--which she sees as a single composition--combines the themes of sin, destruction, deportation and exile, implying a concern with the possibility of a future return from exile. Brady does not note this, but such a set of themes is clustered in the book of Daniel also, providing perhaps a useful contemporary parallel. Matthias Henze's article analyzes Psalm 91 and reviews its apotropaic use against demons in Qumran and other early postbiblical (and NT) writings. Peter Flint on "The Prophet David at Qumran" notes that this profile is not widely attested in the scrolls, appearing only in the Davidic Compositions included in the 11Q Psalm[s.sup.a] collection and in the three pesharim on Psalms.

The two remaining essays, James VanderKam, "Sinai Revisited," and John J. Collins, "Interpretation of the Creation of Humanity in the Dead Sea Scrolls," cover broader themes. VanderKam argues that the Qumran Community (the yahad) fashioned itself in the manner of Israel at Sinai, recognizing that other Jewish communities (he mentions the New Testament) were similarly shaped. This is fine as far as it goes, but beside the wide influence of Leviticus is that of Deuteronomy (not quite "Sinaitic" and oriented more towards Canaanite occupation) and of Numbers 1-10 in the War Scroll, suggesting that the Israel of the Torah as a whole represented an ideal--and...