The Madrid Qumran Congress: Proceedings of the International Congress on the Dead Sea Scrolls, Madrid, 18-21, March, 1991, vols. 1-2.

AuthorKampen, John

These volumes are one of a number of recent significant collections of articles generated from conferences on Qumran studies. For the scholar attempting to stay abreast of the rapid developments in this field, these collections are vital, and the two volumes included in this review are an essential resource. While the editors describe the contents of the volumes as coveting biblical and non-biblical texts, respectively, the reader will not be aided by that distinction in the identification of material relevant to a particular subject of interest.

The first volume begins with essays by Frank Moore Cross (pp. 1-14) and Eugene Ulrich (pp. 23-41), as well as Emanuel Tov's response to the former (pp. 15-21). They present some of the issues in the most recent debate concerning text criticism, generated by the study of the biblical manuscripts from Qumran. Noteworthy is Ulrich's discussion of the terminology used in the classification of the various texts of the Hebrew Bible. Bruno Chiesa also takes up the controversy concerning Tov's perspectives on textual criticism (pp. 257-72). Preliminary publication of a number of biblical texts can be found in this volume. James Davila includes excerpts of variant texts of the Joseph story found in the manuscripts of Genesis from Qumran (pp. 167-75). They are excerpted from the texts included in his dissertation and to be published in DJD 11 (not 10 as stated on p. 167, n. 2). Julie Duncan gives the full text of [4QDT.sup.j] (pp. 199-215), and 4QKings (4Q54) is published by Julio Trebolle Barrera (pp. 229-46). Nathan Jastram argues that [4QNum.sup.b] is a subsequent development from a Samaritan tradition (pp. 177-98). Russell Fuller compares the fragments of Hosea found in Qumran manuscripts of the Book of the Twelve with citations utilized in the copies of 4QpHos as well as in other non-biblical texts from that corpus (pp. 247-56).

Some pivotal articles in volume one require special mention. Emanuel Tov (pp. 43-82) and Sidnie White (pp. 217-28), focusing on 4QPentateuchal Paraphrase (4Q364-367), begin to give us more details concerning this disputed text, including the preliminary publication by White of frgs. 3 ii, 6 (the Song of Miriam) and 23 (which includes the wood festival, as mentioned also in 11QT 23). Tov supports Yadin's identification of the fragment from PAM 43.366 with 11QT. The hypothesis of Hartmut Stegemann concerning the origin and history of the Essene movement forms the longest article...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT