Pesher

A pesher (Hebrew פשר, Pl pesharim ) is a literary genre of biblical interpretation, as it is found in the scrolls from the Dead Sea. Here, a mostly prophetic text is interpreted on its own the presence of the author, but this in turn ciphers. To what extent can from these often dark allusions obtain historic data of the Qumran community and its environment, is controversial.

Term

The related Hebrew root פשר and פתר, as well as their equivalents פתר in Aramaic and Akkadian pasharu, cover " solve, explain, ( dreams) interpret " from the semantic field. Biblical quotations to find V.A. in the story of Joseph and the Book of Daniel, where they relate to the interpretation of dreams. Especially in Daniel and the deciphering prophetic texts or predictions is with the term but referred to. In this sense it is used in the Dead Sea Scrolls as a generic.

Form

Pesharim distinguished by the citation of biblical texts and explicit labeling of the interpretation, which distinguishes it from other forms of implicit rather interpretation of Scripture. The design is initiated by a formula that usually the word פשר provided in basic form or with suffixes, and contains the words אשר or על, eg " (his ) interpretation ( refers ) to ... ".

A distinction is made between continuous ( continuous ) pesharim, such as the pesher to the Prophet Habakkuk ( 1QpHab ) or pesher B to the prophet Hosea ( 4Q167 ), and non-continuous; Quote this pesharim and interpret only selected passages of biblical books, partly by taking up interpretations to other books, such as the Psalms pesher A ( 4Q171 ), or Isaiah pesher C ( 4Q163 ). But there are also thematic pesharim that one is - mostly eschatological - basic theme and use this to develop along biblical texts. Examples are the Melchizedek midrash ( 11q13 ) and the so-called Midrash eschatology ( 4Q174 177 ). However, the usual names of the last two texts already indicate that here the genus blurring of Midrash.

Text editions and translations

• James H. Charlesworth et al (Ed.): Pesharim, other Commentaries and Related Documents ( The Dead Sea Scrolls Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek Texts with English Translations 6B. ). Tübingen; Louisville 2002. ISBN 0-664-22588-8