A Note on Melchizedek and Qumran Author(s): Y. YADIN Source: Israel Exploration Journal, Vol. 15, No. 3 (1965), pp.

152-154 Published by: Israel Exploration Society Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27925013 . Accessed: 05/08/2013 10:08
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A Note

on Melchizedek
Y. Y ADI
Hebrew University,

and Qumran

Jerusale

In

pub lishes some extremely important fragments of aMidrash on Melchizedek discovered in Cave 11 of Qumran ? and he should be congratulated for his prompt and en lightening work. I would like to offer new readings to a few of the passages as well as a short general remark. as

the recent volume of Oudtestamentische

Studien, A. S. van der Woude1

In the following read by v. d.Woude, 1

1 ) LI. 8-9 : v. d.Woude reads : [p?]x

ppn

T?? ppn Ittnn

1 (9) ko

to God, i.e. "das g?ttliche Fest refers, according to v. d. Woude an examination of the seems to show legen der Zeiten". However, photograph quite clearly that the ppn should be read ppn. The first letter is identical with the he pre ceding it. I suggest therefore, the following reading : [.tidk w? [ ] 1 [? ]1 ittD?m 2) This pesher refers to verse 7 of Isaiah 52, which is : quoted earlier reads: L. 18: v. d.Woude

[pi]* Kht?? ?mn natprpnmon ko

abw to[? Tmt?

v. d. Woude's seems tome

(!) onn [noi ]wa? [*]ton yw motojm irx?? n[rrar>

reading, restoration and explanations of this important passage, to be strewn with difficulties. To begin with, we have here the unique

usage of the rrtp?n2) (in the absolute state) in theQumran literature. Then there are quite a number of difficulties in v. d. Woude's paleographical : reading (a) The size of the lacuna between ]m and rptp[does not seem to permit the in sertion of a he before the WV[ft. The space between and rrc> is (in the should occupy a minimum of 5 mm.; exactly 9.5 mm.; the photograph) thus we are leftwith 4.5 mm. For the space between the two words we should
1

Oudtestamentische Studien, 14, 1965, pp. 354 ff. * On IQ Sa, II, 12, see my note in JBL, 78, 1959, p. 240.

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NOTE

ON

MELCHIZEDEK

AND

QUMRAN

153

deduct a minimum of 1mm., so 3.5 mm. are left for ??. In the three clear cases of an occurring in these fragments (11. 6, 18, 26), they occupy 4.5 mm. We are thus short of 1mm., at least, for v. d.Woude's restoration. (b) The remains of the letters following they seem to be and rrtpf do not look like m at all. In the I am right in restoring respectively. Now, if rptP[? ] then obviously the he of the following word has the same position as in proi (mira) rvm3) and urnpn (rvwt?) Since the pesher here interprets wm4). photograph ITKP? it seems probable that the author refers to Isaiah 6l, 1 (a to several times in this document) : chapter referred * nvp n a pr? mm ?? miv wa^ tran^ ->inbv 21? after the n,then the whole passage should be read If I am right in reading the isaa with

thus: I and restored

In that case the -waa the main

] .1iaN

n]vinT\W[ft ]1waam

is the prophet5. in theQumranic lies of course, in the unique posi community and in his heavenly status

However,

interest in this document

Melchizedek tion attributed to

as it is clearly defined in this document. Several years ago, I tried8 to prove that the addressees of the Epistle to theHebrews were a group who held many of theQumran s Sect's beliefs. In thisway, I ventured to explain many of the Epistle's themes as well as itsmode of argumentation. How Melchi ever, one of themain themes of the Epistle, i.e. the prominence given there to : "In fact by over-emphasizing zedek, remained partially unexplained. I thenwrote7 different parts of the Scriptures relating to and by applying 'Midrashic Melchizedek, to some of the words and names thereof, he interpretations (the writer) tried to ? ? to his readers the Messia and in such manner and Jesus present king priest and terminology, as must have been intended to coincide both with their ideas of King and at the same time to repudiate other beliefs which theymight have held and which did not suit his concept". In this I referred mainly to the writer's efforts to prove that Jesus combined in theMessianic Priest and theMessianic his person 3 6QD3, * 4Q.PB, the two Messiahs of Qumran. Nevertheless there remained one basic

4 and cf.CD, VI, 1 3

TP WD CD, 367 On II, this subject 12 and my note in IE], 6, 1936, p. 158. Cf. also v. d. Woude's see also W. C. van Unnik, Test. Jesus the Christ, New

?Cf. iWTp nn on statement

Stud. 8, 113ff 6 The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Hebrews, ScriptaHierosolymitana, 4, Jerusalem, Epistle to the 1958, pp 36 ff 7 Ibid, 44

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154

Y. YADIN theme? to have

as his main how and why did the writer come to use Melchi2edek question: It seems that now we have the answer; sinceMelchizedek was considered

had such a heavenly position, as well as an active role as an eschatological saviour, him deliberately, in order to convey in the Qumranite theology, the writer chose more intimately and decisively his perception of Jesus' unique position: "There us in advance when he became high priest for ever with the rank Jesus entered for

ofMelchiiedek" (VI, 20).

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