The Commentaries

Summary

The largest group of exegetical writings discovered at Qumran consists of the biblical commentaries. These writings are linked together by a common literary form: a biblical book (most often a prophetic book) is quoted section by section, and each portion of text is followed by an interpretation. The pieces of interpretation are introduced by a number of stereotyped formulas in which the word pēšer (‘interpretation’) is used, and from this usage the commentaries are often referred to by the Hebrew word p^ešārîm, the plural form of the word pēšer. The pieces of interpretation were intended to make the biblical text refer to the history and circumstances of the Qumran community, within which the commentaries were composed. This was done on the basis that the prophetic books were understood to contain only a partial revelation. In an important passage in the Commentary on Habakkuk (1QpHab vii.1–5a) the words of the prophets are described as ‘mysteries’ (Hebrew rāzîm), whose full meaning was only disclosed to the teacher of righteousness.

Fragments of fifteen writings that can clearly be regarded as belonging to this literary genre are in existence. Twelve of these are commentaries on prophetic books (five on Isaiah, two each on Hosea and Zephaniah, one each on Micah, Nahum, and Habakkuk), while the remaining three are commentaries on the book of Psalms. Three of the most important of these commentaries – on Nahum, on Habakkuk, and the Commentary on Psalms known as 4QpPs^a – are given here.