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Timothy Lim

University of Edinburgh, Divinity, Faculty Member

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Professor Emeritus of Hebrew Bible & Second Temple Judaism
Address: New College, University of Edinburgh, Mound Place, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

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Papers by Timothy Lim

Implicit Criticism of Scriptures and Josephus' Rewritten Bible

Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel ed. Timothy Lim (Tuebingen: Mohr Siebeck), 2022

This article discusses scriptural authority among ancient Jews. Josephus’ methodological statemen... more This article discusses scriptural authority among ancient Jews. Josephus’ methodological statement about rearranging the order of the biblical laws (Ant. 4.197) is examined within the context of scholarly discussions about the “rewritten Bible.” It is shown that Josephus intended that the laws and narratives of scripture to be reordered to accommodate a better sense of the content of the laws and the flow of the events. He perceived that the writings (scriptures) were left in a scattered condition, so he innovated to rearrange the order of the topics of the laws and narratives. Josephus held that the twenty-two books of the Jewish canon was authoritative and accurate for historiographical purposes, but he also believed that scripture could
be changed and added to, especially for the period extending from the reign of Artaxerxes to his own day at the end of the first century ce.

The Tetragrammaton in the Habakkuk Pesher

Strength to Strength, Nov 16, 2018

Covenantal Nomism and the Hebrew Bible

Sibyls, Scriptures, and Scrolls, 2017

Rabbinic Concept of Holy Scriptures as Sacred Objects

Qumran Scholarship and the Study of the Old Testament in the New Testament

Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 2015

Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel

Table of Contents

How was the Canon Formed

Expository Times, 2022

The Hebrew Bible or Old Testament did not drop down from heaven, as is sometimes believed. It is ... more The Hebrew Bible or Old Testament did not drop down from heaven, as is sometimes believed. It is widely agreed that the canon is the construct of faith communities. But what was the process that led to the formation of the canon? This article discusses what we know about the formation of the canon, addressing assumptions that different readers might have about what constitutes 'the Bible'. It will show that the Jewish Tanak and Protestant Old Testament have the same collection of books and it is the canon of Pharisaic-Rabbinic Judaism. It was not, and is not, the canon of other faith communities that considered different lists of books as authoritative.

Why did Paul cite Habakkuk 2:4b

Expository Times, 2022

One of the most perplexing uses of the Old Testament in the New is Paul's quotation of 'the one w... more One of the most perplexing uses of the Old Testament in the New is Paul's quotation of 'the one who is righteous will live by faith' to support his view that: divine righteousness is revealed through faith (Rom 1:17); no one is justified before God by the law (Gal 3:11); and no one is justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ (Gal 2:16). Why did Paul quote Hab 2:4b, since this half-verse is not ostensibly about judgment and salvation? In this article, I show that Paul's selection is explicable when it is realized that there was a Jewish tradition, as reflected in Pesher Habakkuk (1QpHab), which interpreted righteousness and living by faith as salvation for the righteous and judgment for the wicked.

Idealization of Ptolemaic Kingship in the Legend of the Origins of the Septuagint

Times of Transition. Judea in the Early Hellenistic Period, 2021

This paper, delivered at a Tel Aviv University conference, advances a new understanding of the or... more This paper, delivered at a Tel Aviv University conference, advances a new understanding of the origins of the Greek translation of the Hebrew rolls in the Letter of Aristeas. I suggest that the Philonic account of the story should be taken seriously as the most likely origin story of the translation.

The Literature of Early Judaism

Early Judaism and Its Modern Interpreters, 2021

In this chapter, I suggest that the literature of Early Judaism was understood by Pharisaic Judai... more In this chapter, I suggest that the literature of Early Judaism was understood by Pharisaic Judaism as constituting two categories, 'scripture' and 'non-scripture'. Josephus made this point in his writings, and it is consistent with the Rabbinic division of books into 'holy scriptures' and 'outside books'. Not all Jews agreed with this definition. The Qumran sectarians, for instance, had a dual authority of scripture and authoritative interpretation for the Torah, and a graded authority for the rest of the books, including their own sectarian compositions.

The Tetragrammaton in the Habakkuk Pesher

Strength to Strength , 2018

The common scholarly view that the writing of the Tetragrammaton in paleo-Hebrew script in the Ha... more The common scholarly view that the writing of the Tetragrammaton in
paleo-Hebrew script in the Habakkuk Pesher was used to protect the
divine name from abuse is examined. I eschewed explanations that were drawn from external sources, and I sought a largely descriptive discussion of the use of the divine names, including the writing of the Tetragrammaton in paleo-Hebrew script. Iconclude that no single reason can explain all the features of the writing of the divine names.

The Emergence of the Samaritan Pentateuch

In the history of canon research, the study of the formation of the sacred scriptures of the Sama... more In the history of canon research, the study of the formation of the sacred scriptures of the Samaritans has not received the attention that it deserves. The subject of the Samaritan canon is usually discussed in relation to the development of the Pentateuch and the Hebrew Bible. The Samaritan canon serves as a foil to the development of the Jewish Bible and Christian Old Testament. The study of some of the Dead Sea Scrolls has reinvigorated research into this topic. The “pre-Samaritan” text-type has been seen as the base text on which the Samaritans compiled their Pentateuch in the second century BCE. This study contextualizes this research by examining what it is that can be known about the emergence of the Samaritan Pentateuch. It examines the early notices about the canon of the Samaritans and draws on the latest scholarship on the origins of the Samaritans and the excavations on Mt. Gerizim to suggest that the Samaritan Pentateuch may have emerged at the same time as the Jewish Torah.

WHEN TEXTS ARE CANONIZED

One cannot explain why one book is chosen over another book by a set of standards or norms. One m... more One cannot explain why one book is chosen over another book by a set of standards or norms. One must avoid the terminology of “criteria” and its connotation of an external standard. The canonical process was multifaceted and complex, both in the way that each community formulated its own understanding of authoritative scriptures and the rationale implied in the selection. We need to apply a different kind of logic to understand how the process worked in defining the canon by drawing on the conceptual resources of analytical philosophy on blurred definitions. The result of this process, the definition of the canon, is explained by indicative logic.

THE BOOK OF RUTH AND ITS LITERARY VOICE

This essay argues that the author of the book of Ruth was male, but that the voice of the narrati... more This essay argues that the author of the book of Ruth was male, but that the voice of the narrative is female. In ancient Israel and early Judaism there were women who were able to write (e.g. Jezebel writing a letter), but there is no evidence of female scribal circles. The author of Ruth, therefore, was most likely a male rather than a female. As a consummate author, he was nonetheless able to write from the perspective of the female.

Reference: Timothy H. Lim, “The Book of Ruth and its Literary Voice” in Studies in Historiographical Tradition eds. Timothy H. Lim et al (Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers, 2006), pp. 261-282.

Covenantal Nomism and the Hebrew Bible

In this paper, I examine the concept of covenantal nomism to see how well it describes the theolo... more In this paper, I examine the concept of covenantal nomism to see how well it describes the theology of the Hebrew Bible. I first describe the views of E. P. Sanders and his recent claim that covenantal nomism explains the theology of the Bible. I show that while the concept explains the covenant from Abraham to Moses, it is too narrow and does not admit the range of views reflected in the canonical corpus. The reference of this paper is: ‘Covenantal Nomism and the Hebrew Bible’ in Sibyls, Scriptures, and Scrolls: John Collins at Seventy ed. Joel Baden, Hindy Najman, and Eibert Tigchelaar (Leiden: Brill, 2016), pp. 845-56.

Lecture Series Information

This is an information sheet about the Chuen King Memorial lectures that I'm about to give at the... more This is an information sheet about the Chuen King Memorial lectures that I'm about to give at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. If you are in Hong Kong and would like to come along, then you'll need to register at the School's web site. The lectures will be in English with translation into Cantonese. For further information, contact (https://www.theology.cuhk.edu.hk/tc/event/ck20). Mrs. Wong ([email protected]).

Midrash Pesher in the Pauline Letters

The literary genre of 'midrash pesher' was conceived by New Testament scholars in the wake of the... more The literary genre of 'midrash pesher' was conceived by New Testament scholars in the wake of the publication of the Habakkuk Pesher and other pesharim. In this paper, I examine the titular use of the term 'pesher' in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and conclude that it is not a hybrid genre of 'madrash-pesher'.

Qumran Scholarship and the Study of the Old Testament in the New Testament

This article argues that Qumran scholarship provides contextual and contingent perspectives in th... more This article argues that Qumran scholarship provides contextual and contingent perspectives in the study of the use of scripture by the New Testament authors. First, post-Qumran textual criticism has highlighted textual diversity in the period of the New Testament, raising questions about alleged exegetial variants as well as the characterizations of the Pauline citations as ‘septuagintal’. Second, while the canon of the Hebrew Bible remained open in the middle of the first century Paul’s implied bible was consistent with the Pharisaic canon that eventually became the Rabbinic Bible. Finally, the theory of the sectarian matrix both accounts for the use of the same biblical passages and the divergent interpretations of them among various sects in the Second Temple period.

Review of Yoram Hazony

A brief review in Journal of Modern Jewish Studies

“Studying the Qumran Scrolls and Paul in their Historical Context” in The Dead Sea Scrolls as Background to Postbiblical Judaism & Early Christianity. Papers from an International Conference at St. Andrews in 2001 ed. James R. Davila [Leiden: Brill, 2003], pp. 135-56.

Implicit Criticism of Scriptures and Josephus' Rewritten Bible

Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel ed. Timothy Lim (Tuebingen: Mohr Siebeck), 2022

This article discusses scriptural authority among ancient Jews. Josephus’ methodological statemen... more This article discusses scriptural authority among ancient Jews. Josephus’ methodological statement about rearranging the order of the biblical laws (Ant. 4.197) is examined within the context of scholarly discussions about the “rewritten Bible.” It is shown that Josephus intended that the laws and narratives of scripture to be reordered to accommodate a better sense of the content of the laws and the flow of the events. He perceived that the writings (scriptures) were left in a scattered condition, so he innovated to rearrange the order of the topics of the laws and narratives. Josephus held that the twenty-two books of the Jewish canon was authoritative and accurate for historiographical purposes, but he also believed that scripture could
be changed and added to, especially for the period extending from the reign of Artaxerxes to his own day at the end of the first century ce.

The Tetragrammaton in the Habakkuk Pesher

Strength to Strength, Nov 16, 2018

Covenantal Nomism and the Hebrew Bible

Sibyls, Scriptures, and Scrolls, 2017

Rabbinic Concept of Holy Scriptures as Sacred Objects

Qumran Scholarship and the Study of the Old Testament in the New Testament

Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 2015

Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel

Table of Contents

How was the Canon Formed

Expository Times, 2022

The Hebrew Bible or Old Testament did not drop down from heaven, as is sometimes believed. It is ... more The Hebrew Bible or Old Testament did not drop down from heaven, as is sometimes believed. It is widely agreed that the canon is the construct of faith communities. But what was the process that led to the formation of the canon? This article discusses what we know about the formation of the canon, addressing assumptions that different readers might have about what constitutes 'the Bible'. It will show that the Jewish Tanak and Protestant Old Testament have the same collection of books and it is the canon of Pharisaic-Rabbinic Judaism. It was not, and is not, the canon of other faith communities that considered different lists of books as authoritative.

Why did Paul cite Habakkuk 2:4b

Expository Times, 2022

One of the most perplexing uses of the Old Testament in the New is Paul's quotation of 'the one w... more One of the most perplexing uses of the Old Testament in the New is Paul's quotation of 'the one who is righteous will live by faith' to support his view that: divine righteousness is revealed through faith (Rom 1:17); no one is justified before God by the law (Gal 3:11); and no one is justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ (Gal 2:16). Why did Paul quote Hab 2:4b, since this half-verse is not ostensibly about judgment and salvation? In this article, I show that Paul's selection is explicable when it is realized that there was a Jewish tradition, as reflected in Pesher Habakkuk (1QpHab), which interpreted righteousness and living by faith as salvation for the righteous and judgment for the wicked.

Idealization of Ptolemaic Kingship in the Legend of the Origins of the Septuagint

Times of Transition. Judea in the Early Hellenistic Period, 2021

This paper, delivered at a Tel Aviv University conference, advances a new understanding of the or... more This paper, delivered at a Tel Aviv University conference, advances a new understanding of the origins of the Greek translation of the Hebrew rolls in the Letter of Aristeas. I suggest that the Philonic account of the story should be taken seriously as the most likely origin story of the translation.

The Literature of Early Judaism

Early Judaism and Its Modern Interpreters, 2021

In this chapter, I suggest that the literature of Early Judaism was understood by Pharisaic Judai... more In this chapter, I suggest that the literature of Early Judaism was understood by Pharisaic Judaism as constituting two categories, 'scripture' and 'non-scripture'. Josephus made this point in his writings, and it is consistent with the Rabbinic division of books into 'holy scriptures' and 'outside books'. Not all Jews agreed with this definition. The Qumran sectarians, for instance, had a dual authority of scripture and authoritative interpretation for the Torah, and a graded authority for the rest of the books, including their own sectarian compositions.

The Tetragrammaton in the Habakkuk Pesher

Strength to Strength , 2018

The common scholarly view that the writing of the Tetragrammaton in paleo-Hebrew script in the Ha... more The common scholarly view that the writing of the Tetragrammaton in
paleo-Hebrew script in the Habakkuk Pesher was used to protect the
divine name from abuse is examined. I eschewed explanations that were drawn from external sources, and I sought a largely descriptive discussion of the use of the divine names, including the writing of the Tetragrammaton in paleo-Hebrew script. Iconclude that no single reason can explain all the features of the writing of the divine names.

The Emergence of the Samaritan Pentateuch

In the history of canon research, the study of the formation of the sacred scriptures of the Sama... more In the history of canon research, the study of the formation of the sacred scriptures of the Samaritans has not received the attention that it deserves. The subject of the Samaritan canon is usually discussed in relation to the development of the Pentateuch and the Hebrew Bible. The Samaritan canon serves as a foil to the development of the Jewish Bible and Christian Old Testament. The study of some of the Dead Sea Scrolls has reinvigorated research into this topic. The “pre-Samaritan” text-type has been seen as the base text on which the Samaritans compiled their Pentateuch in the second century BCE. This study contextualizes this research by examining what it is that can be known about the emergence of the Samaritan Pentateuch. It examines the early notices about the canon of the Samaritans and draws on the latest scholarship on the origins of the Samaritans and the excavations on Mt. Gerizim to suggest that the Samaritan Pentateuch may have emerged at the same time as the Jewish Torah.

WHEN TEXTS ARE CANONIZED

One cannot explain why one book is chosen over another book by a set of standards or norms. One m... more One cannot explain why one book is chosen over another book by a set of standards or norms. One must avoid the terminology of “criteria” and its connotation of an external standard. The canonical process was multifaceted and complex, both in the way that each community formulated its own understanding of authoritative scriptures and the rationale implied in the selection. We need to apply a different kind of logic to understand how the process worked in defining the canon by drawing on the conceptual resources of analytical philosophy on blurred definitions. The result of this process, the definition of the canon, is explained by indicative logic.

THE BOOK OF RUTH AND ITS LITERARY VOICE

This essay argues that the author of the book of Ruth was male, but that the voice of the narrati... more This essay argues that the author of the book of Ruth was male, but that the voice of the narrative is female. In ancient Israel and early Judaism there were women who were able to write (e.g. Jezebel writing a letter), but there is no evidence of female scribal circles. The author of Ruth, therefore, was most likely a male rather than a female. As a consummate author, he was nonetheless able to write from the perspective of the female.

Reference: Timothy H. Lim, “The Book of Ruth and its Literary Voice” in Studies in Historiographical Tradition eds. Timothy H. Lim et al (Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers, 2006), pp. 261-282.

Covenantal Nomism and the Hebrew Bible

In this paper, I examine the concept of covenantal nomism to see how well it describes the theolo... more In this paper, I examine the concept of covenantal nomism to see how well it describes the theology of the Hebrew Bible. I first describe the views of E. P. Sanders and his recent claim that covenantal nomism explains the theology of the Bible. I show that while the concept explains the covenant from Abraham to Moses, it is too narrow and does not admit the range of views reflected in the canonical corpus. The reference of this paper is: ‘Covenantal Nomism and the Hebrew Bible’ in Sibyls, Scriptures, and Scrolls: John Collins at Seventy ed. Joel Baden, Hindy Najman, and Eibert Tigchelaar (Leiden: Brill, 2016), pp. 845-56.

Lecture Series Information

This is an information sheet about the Chuen King Memorial lectures that I'm about to give at the... more This is an information sheet about the Chuen King Memorial lectures that I'm about to give at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. If you are in Hong Kong and would like to come along, then you'll need to register at the School's web site. The lectures will be in English with translation into Cantonese. For further information, contact (https://www.theology.cuhk.edu.hk/tc/event/ck20). Mrs. Wong ([email protected]).

Midrash Pesher in the Pauline Letters

The literary genre of 'midrash pesher' was conceived by New Testament scholars in the wake of the... more The literary genre of 'midrash pesher' was conceived by New Testament scholars in the wake of the publication of the Habakkuk Pesher and other pesharim. In this paper, I examine the titular use of the term 'pesher' in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and conclude that it is not a hybrid genre of 'madrash-pesher'.

Qumran Scholarship and the Study of the Old Testament in the New Testament

This article argues that Qumran scholarship provides contextual and contingent perspectives in th... more This article argues that Qumran scholarship provides contextual and contingent perspectives in the study of the use of scripture by the New Testament authors. First, post-Qumran textual criticism has highlighted textual diversity in the period of the New Testament, raising questions about alleged exegetial variants as well as the characterizations of the Pauline citations as ‘septuagintal’. Second, while the canon of the Hebrew Bible remained open in the middle of the first century Paul’s implied bible was consistent with the Pharisaic canon that eventually became the Rabbinic Bible. Finally, the theory of the sectarian matrix both accounts for the use of the same biblical passages and the divergent interpretations of them among various sects in the Second Temple period.

Review of Yoram Hazony

A brief review in Journal of Modern Jewish Studies

“Studying the Qumran Scrolls and Paul in their Historical Context” in The Dead Sea Scrolls as Background to Postbiblical Judaism & Early Christianity. Papers from an International Conference at St. Andrews in 2001 ed. James R. Davila [Leiden: Brill, 2003], pp. 135-56.

The Earliest Commentary on the Prophecy of Habakkuk (OUP, 2020)

This is the first major commentary in English on Pesher Habakkuk for forty years. It elucidates t... more This is the first major commentary in English on Pesher Habakkuk for
forty years. It elucidates the nature of 1QpHab as the earliest
commentary on the prophecy of Habakkuk by a detailed study of the
biblical quotation and sectarian interpretation. This commentary
provides a new edition of the scroll, including new readings, and
detailed palaeographical, philological, exegetical and historical
notes and discussion. It shows that the pesherist imitates the
allusive style of the oracles of Habakkuk and also draws on lexemes,
phrases, and themes from other biblical texts and Jewish sources. It
shows that the pesherist identified the Kittim with the Romans who
conquered Judaea in 63 BCE, and suggests that the scroll refers to
several righteous and wicked figures, including the last Hasmonean
high priests.

Table of Contents.pdf

Here is the table of contents of the proceedings of a conference at SOAS, London (ed. M. Wissa). ... more

When Texts are Canonized ed. Timothy Lim (Providence, RI: Brown Judaic Studies, 2017)

This unique collection of essays from an international group of scholars bridges the all-too-comm... more This unique collection of essays from an international group of scholars bridges the all-too-common gap in canon research between biblical criticism and biblical theology by focusing on the connection between canonical process and canonicity. Contributors address issues that are at the heart of the hermeneutics of canon, including the historical, theological, and ethical ramifications of canonization. Papers probe why certain books were included in the canon while others were not and explore what criteria were used to select the books of the canon. Others examine the consequences of canonization, including the effects of elevating writings to the status of “Holy Scriptures.” This collection as a whole contributes to a better understanding of the complex processes that led to the canonization of the Hebrew Bible, explores concepts of early canonicity, and reconsiders the reopening of the canon of the New Testament. Contributors include John Barton, John J. Collins, Craig A. Evans, Timothy H. Lim, R. W. L. Moberly, Manfred Oeming, and Michael L. Satlow. Even when they disagree, the essays stand collectively to mark the different ways of thinking about the hermeneutics of the canon.

The Dead Sea Scrolls. A Very Short Introduction. Second updated edition

The publication of the second edition of a best seller, The Dead Sea Scrolls. A Very Short Intr... more The publication of the second edition of a best seller, The Dead Sea Scrolls. A Very Short Introduction (OUP March 2017), coincides with the seventieth anniversary of the discovery of 'the greatest manuscript discovery' of the twentieth century. The original 2005 edition was translated into several languages (Dutch, Bulgarian, Korean, Chinese, etc) and made into an audiobook by Audible.com. This new edition includes an update on the significant changes in our understanding of the archaeology of Khirbet Qumran, the origins of the communities reflected in the Scrolls, and the multiple settlements of Essene groups who flourished throughout Judaea. This edition also includes a completely new chapter on the sectarian understanding of "canon" or authoritative scriptures.

$Research paper thumbnail of 2007b Rezetko Lim Aucker Reflection and Refraction Front Matters$

2007b Rezetko Lim Aucker Reflection and Refraction Front Matters

by Robert Rezetko, Timothy Lim, and W. Brian Aucker

On the occasion of his sixty-fifth birthday, this Festschrift celebrates A. Graeme Auld, Professo... more On the occasion of his sixty-fifth birthday, this Festschrift celebrates A. Graeme Auld, Professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of Edinburgh, as one of the most innovative scholars in Old Testament Studies of his generation. The contributors of the volume, colleagues, friends and former students, have written articles that touch on various aspects of Auld's work including Old Testament, historiography, Pentateuch, Deuteronomistic History, Chronicles, prophecy and prophets, Septuagint, and textual criticism.

Allegory and the Canonization of the Song of Songs

Journal of Theological Studies, 2024

The canonical process that led to the inclusion of the Song of Songs in the lists of books of the... more The canonical process that led to the inclusion of the Song of Songs in the lists of books of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament is investigated with focus on the saying attributed to Rabbi Aqiva in Mishnah Yadayim 3:5, and also investigated is whether he referred to the Holy of Holies of the Jerusalem Temple. It is demonstrated that he asserted that all the writings are holy and the Song of Songs is holiest. But the framing of the mishnah associates all scriptures, including the Song of Songs, with the Temple, the Ark of the Covenant, and the Holy of Holies. Allegorical interpretation of the Song likely preceded the book's canonization.

Allegory and the Canonization of the Song of Songs

Journal of Theological Studies, 2024

The canonical process that led to the inclusion of the Song of Songs in the lists of books of the... more The canonical process that led to the inclusion of the Song of Songs in the lists of books of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament is investigated with focus on the saying attributed to Rabbi Aqiva in Mishnah Yadayim 3:5, and also investigated is whether he referred to the Holy of Holies of the
Jerusalem Temple. It is demonstrated that he asserted that all the writings are holy and the Song of Songs is holiest. But the framing of the mishnah associates all scriptures, including the Song of Songs, with the Temple, the Ark of the Covenant, and the Holy of Holies. Allegorical interpretation
of the Song likely preceded the book’s canonization.

Lim Contextual Reading

Congress Volume Aberdeen 2019, 2022

'I find it difficult to account for the scholarly view that the Song was not interpreted as a lov... more 'I find it difficult to account for the scholarly view that the Song was not interpreted as a love song before the modern period, since the evidence to the contrary is not difficult to find'. This article was originally delivered as a plenary paper at the IOSOT Conference Aberdeen 2019 and it investigates pre-modern sources that interpreted the Song of Songs as a love song, namely the Peshat school, Theodore of Mopsuestia and the Antiochene School, the Tannaitic literature, LXX Canticles, and the Canticles DSS. It is suggested that the variety of interpretations is best described not as 'plain readings', 'erotic readings', 'non-allegorical readings', 'secular readings', and 'historicising readings', but as 'contextual readings'.

A Fresh Approach to a Vexed Problem

‘A Fresh Approach to a Vexed Problem’ in Continuity, Separation, and Conflict. Emerging Sectarianism in the Dead Sea Scrolls ed. John J. Collins and Ananda Geyser-Fouché. Leiden: Brill. Pp. 269-91., 2022

“It is dangerous to adopt an historical hypothesis at the outset and then adjust the translations... more “It is dangerous to adopt an historical hypothesis at the outset and then adjust the translations and interpretations to fit it.” In this article, I forge a new approach to the vexed question of the identity of "the Wicked Priest" in Pesher Habakkuk. I avoid reading in any historical hypothesis. Instead, I focus on the poetics of 1QpHab and I show that the pesherist understood by the title 'the wicked priest' a reference to the last three high priests of the Hasmonean dynasty, Aristobulus II, Hycanus II, and Mattathias Antigonos.