Putting “the Torah” back into “the Book of Moses” in Miqṣat Ma‘aśe ha-Torah : A new proposed reconstruction of 4Q397 14–21 6

Abstract

In this article, I build upon observations by Émile Puech regarding the available space in 4Q397 14–21 6, one of the manuscripts of Miqṣat Ma‘aśe ha-Torah (MMT), in order to propose an alternate reconstruction of the middle of this line. I suggest emending the earlier reconstruction of בספר מושה‎ “in the book of Moses,” which is found in numerous editions of 4Q397, with בספר‎ תורת מושה‎ “in the book of the torah of Moses.” I argue that this new proposed reconstruction is plausible given the context of this line, the available space on the line, and the appearance of the phrase elsewhere in other Second Temple period Hebrew literature.