Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Psalm 9.22-26 in a Newly Published 4th-Century Papyrus

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(photo credit)
The latest issue of Vetus Testamentum has an article by Klaas A. Worp on a new 4th century copy of Psalm 9.22–26 [LXX]; 10.1–5 [ET]. The abstract:
First edition of a Psalm fragment on a Greek papyrus coming from a settlement in the Western desert of Egypt. Discussion of its religious background (Jewish, Manichaean,or Christian?) and of its possible use, as an amulet? Attention is paid to a textual variant.
With regard to provenance, we learn that it was part of the excavations at Dakhleh Oasis at Ismant-al Kharab (= ancient Kellis) in the Western desert of Egypt. In fact, it was found in one particular room:
Room 8 in Area D/8 has produced a significant number of (ca. 30) still unpublished fragmentarily preserved documentary papyri (like e.g., administrative texts, accounts, contracts, name lists, and letters, both private and official). This material provides at least some further idea of the dating of the archaeological context of the present Psalm fragment.
In the same issue, Michael R. Simone has an article on “A ‘Chariot of Fire’ in Amos 7:4: A Text Critical Solution for qōrē’ lārīb bā’ēš.

5 comments

  1. Psalm 9 has 20 verses, not sure where verses 22-26 would be found? Is this a typo?

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  2. In the LXX (which this fragment is from) Psalms 9 and 10 are combined and the verses are numbered continuously. In Ralf-Harnhart there are 39 verses in Psalm 9. The Apparatus states, "(1–21 = M 9; 22–39 = M 10)" Brenton's LXX gives 38 verses because the title to the Psalm is not counted as it is in the SESB edition.

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  3. It is the very point at which everything starts to go wrong with LXX Psalm numbering.

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  4. Good catch. I updated the references.

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  5. Or more likely, it preserved the correct numbering and the MT is wrong.

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