Scribes as Authors in the Dead Sea Scrolls

with Molly Zahn, Yale University

 

 

The discovery and publication of the Dead Sea Scrolls has revolutionized our understanding of the composition and development of the books of the Hebrew Bible and other early Jewish texts. Central to this revolution is a new understanding of the role of scribes. Far from functioning as mere copyists, early Jewish scribes actively shaped the prestigious literature that was handed on to them; thus in many ways they are responsible for the texts as we know them. This presentation will explore how thinking of these scribes as authors points us towards new models of early Jewish literary culture and a clearer picture of the place of biblical books in that culture.