Biblical Hebrew Forum

[peter_kirk AT sil.org]

Well, Dave, I accept that you know more than me about DSS. Perhaps 
even Ian knows more than me. But the reference to omission of the 
Melchizedek story was to its absence from the Genesis Apocryphon, 
which Ian seems to have made a lot of. Of course his whole argument 
falls rather flat if the Melchizedek story is included in MSS of 
Genesis, especially if these are demonstrably earlier than the Genesis 
Apocryphon.

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator 
_________________________________
Subject: Re[3]: JEDP (Melchizedek)
Author:  <dwashbur AT nyx.net> at Internet
Date:    20/12/1999 16:13


Peter,
[snip]
> There is a simple reason why this psalm (and the Melchizedek story in 
> Genesis) might have been omitted from the Qumran collections: its
> theology (which puzzled the Pharisees: Matthew 22:41-46 and parallels) 
> was not to the liking of the Qumran sect(s), perhaps because it was
> being used by their enemies in Jerusalem to justify their rule.

God forbid I should agree with Ian :-), but in this case he is more 
correct.  There's an entire scroll from cave 11 about Melchizedek, 
and the Genesis story about him doesn't seem to have been
excised from any Genesis manuscript that I am aware of.  I would 
have to go back and re-examine the cave 11 Psalms scroll to come 
up with a hypothesis about the absence of Psalms 110-117, but 
based on the other material I doubt it had anything to do with 
Melchizedek.


Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; 
give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.
                                   Psalm 86:11

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