DSS and Samuel

[M Paul]

A Hebrew text from the DSS supports the Septuagint over the Massoretic text--or so I have read, and it is set out by Eugene Ulrich in The Quram Text of Samuel and Josephus, which Amazon has a copy for $99, so I mught not read it for a while.

How many other texts are there that support the Sepptuagint over the Massoretic from Qumran?? I remember being told the Isaiah text from Qumran is extremely close to the Massoretic. Are other texts from Qumran so close, or maybe, close but to a lesser degree??

In what sense are the differences in Samuel significant??

Thanks for any responses.

M Paul

 

[LamorakDesGalis]

About 25% of the DSS are Biblical texts. Of these, 60% are regarded as proto-Masoretic, 5% are either pre-Samaritan or the Vorlage of the Septuagint, and the rest are mixed or different text-types.

Think of these text-types as different families, and within each family there are a number of variations.

While the Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa) has a number of spelling and grammatical differences, the words are in remarkable agreement with the Masoretic text of Isaiah. A period of about 1,000 years separates the two, which is pretty cool evidence for us Christians.

As for DSS of Samuel, 4QSam(b), and 4QSam(c) are fragmentary. 4QSam(a) contains much of 1 and 2 Samuel.

The differences between the DSS and MT Samuel texts are a little complicated. The transmitted MT text of Samuel has suffered from a higher than usual number of scribal errors. To aid in recovering the original text, scholars compare the DSS and various Septuagint versions - proto-Lucianic, Lucianic recension and the LXX itself - with the MT. Parallel passages such as Psalm 18 and Chronicles are also helpful. Serious consideration for a variation is given if multiple "witnesses" differ from the MT. I think for the NIV, there are over 50 instances where it differs from the MT.

Lamorak Des Galis

 

[M Paul]

Lamorak,

Thank you--very much!! Your response was extremely helpful.

M Paul

 

[SummaScriptura]

About 25% of the DSS are Biblical texts. Of these, 60% are regarded as proto-Masoretic, 5% are either pre-Samaritan or the Vorlage of the Septuagint, and the rest are mixed or different text-types.

Think of these text-types as different families, and within each family there are a number of variations.

While the Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa) has a number of spelling and grammatical differences, the words are in remarkable agreement with the Masoretic text of Isaiah. A period of about 1,000 years separates the two, which is pretty cool evidence for us Christians.

As for DSS of Samuel, 4QSam(b), and 4QSam(c) are fragmentary. 4QSam(a) contains much of 1 and 2 Samuel.

The differences between the DSS and MT Samuel texts are a little complicated. The transmitted MT text of Samuel has suffered from a higher than usual number of scribal errors. To aid in recovering the original text, scholars compare the DSS and various Septuagint versions - proto-Lucianic, Lucianic recension and the LXX itself - with the MT. Parallel passages such as Psalm 18 and Chronicles are also helpful. Serious consideration for a variation is given if multiple "witnesses" differ from the MT. I think for the NIV, there are over 50 instances where it differs from the MT.

Lamorak Des Galis

The DSS of Samuel actually recovers a lost portion of Samuel, which when restored makes that portion of the book not so puzzling. It goes between Chapter 10 and 11 and explains the whole one-eye thing which comes in chapter 11.

A portion of the Bible lost from all Jewish and Christian Bibles for as long as 2,000 years and then recovered! Amazing.

The following passage should go between 1 Samuel 10 and 11. "Now Nahash, king of the Ammonites had been grievously oppressing the Gadites and the Reubenites. He would gouge out the right eye of each of them and would not grant Israel a deliverer. No one was left of the Israelites accross the Jordan, whose right eye Nahash, king of the Ammonites had not gauged out. But there were 7,000 men who had escaped from the Ammonites and had entered Jabesh-Gilead." (NRSV) It actually helps clarify what's going on in chapter 11.