Q153 MT Exod 3:19 Klhl OV(l) – Difference in grammati-
4QExodb 3 ii, 5-6 i cal form.^867
12
tkl[Q154 MT Exod 3:19 dyb )lw SV(1) – Interchange of preposi-
4QExodb 3 ii, 5-6 i tions.
12
dyb M) ykQ155 MT Exod 3:21 omits SV(1) – The MT lacks the adver-
4QExodb 3 ii, 5-6 i bial particle Nk, “thus.”
13
NkwQ156 MT Exod 4:3 whkyl#h SV(1) – The MT lacks the entreat-
4QExodb 3 ii, 5-6 i ing particle )n.^868
18
)n whkylo[Q157 MT Exod 4:4 zx)w SV(1) – Lexical interchange.^869
4QExodb 3 ii, 5-6 i
19
qzxhwQ158 MT Exod 4:6 wl SV(1) – Interchange of preposi-
867
The form of the infinitive construct of √Klh, “to go,” in the MT is rare, whereas the more common form
is found in 4QExodb. According to W. Gesenius, E. Kautzsch, and A.E. Cowley, Hebrew Grammar, 192,
§69x, the forms based on the regular inflexion of √Klh are found “rarely, and almost exclusively late or in
poetry,” neither of which circumstances suit the present context. This rare form of the infinitive construct
occurs only seven times in the MT (Exod 3:19; Num 22:13, 14, 16; Job 34:23; Ecc 6:8 and 9), so it is diffi-
cult to see what is meant by ‘exclusively late’ in relation to these verses. In contrast the infinitive construct
is written tkll a total of 129 times in the MT, 22 occurrences of which appear in the Pentateuch. The
spelling in 4QExodb is therefore regular and quite possibly secondary. More weight could be given to the
consideration that the form in 4QExodb is secondary by the fact that the SP agrees with the rare form in MT
where it occurs in Exod 3:19 and in Num 22:13. 868
869 The scribe of 4QExodb may have harmonised this form with Exod 4:13.
Both the MT and the SP have √zx), “seize,” against √qzx, “grow strong,” in 4QExodb. In the context the
exchange of lexemes amounts to an interchange of synonyms, where the Hiph‘il of √qzx is translated as
“grasp.” The MT reads: wbnzb zx)w Kdy xl#, “put out your hand and seize (the serpent) by its tail.” 4QExodb
may be translated similarly: wbnzb qzxhw Kdy xl#, “put out your hand and grasp (the serpent) by its tail.”
The verb of the Wortbericht in 4QExodb is most likely harmonised with the verb in the accompanying Tat-
bericht: wb qzxyw wdy xl#yw.