Ezekiel traditions in the Second Temple period: The case of 4QWords of Ezekiel in its broader context

Shirav, Anna ORCID: 0000-0001-8739-5540 (2023). Ezekiel traditions in the Second Temple period: The case of 4QWords of Ezekiel in its broader context. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

This thesis examines the material and textual aspects of the composition Words of Ezekiel (Pseudo Ezekiel) discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. The representation of the text is now associated with several manuscripts: 4Q385, 4Q385b, 4Q386, 4Q388 and 4Q391. The enigmatic composition has been at the centre of several scholarly debates due to its questionable history of discovery and publication, its difficult language and its unknown background. After reviewing the state of research, Shirav establishes the independent identity of the fragments attributed to Word of Ezekiel by resolving the long-standing controversy over the connection between the current text and the Apocryphon of Jeremiah C. The scrolls are then given a new edition that includes readings, translations, and material observations, addressing the challenges of working with fragmentary evidence and offering a new textual reconstruction.
Building on the proposed reconstruction, Shirav offers a full textual analysis of Words of Ezekiel, considering its connection to the scriptural Ezekiel and its transtextual literary background. The analysis allows the author to reflect on the set of beliefs behind the writing of the composition and its provenance. This work leads to a discussion of the status and reception of Ezekielian traditions in the Second Temple period.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):