ing verse and so is perhaps not to be considered as an exegetical change but rather a clari-
fying plus. However, the fact that it shows a difference in definitive information dictates
that it must be categorised as a possible difference in hermeneutic.
Two sources preserve the same variant relative to MT Exod 1:5. Q106 (4QGen-Exoda)
and Q122 (4QExodb) both record the number of Jacob’s sons that lived in Egypt as 75,
although the numeric construction is reversed in each source. For a discussion of this
variation see note.
The final variation that is classified as HV appears to be of particular exegetical signifi-
cance. Q710 reflects a difference between the reading in 4QDeutj and the reading in MT
Deut 32:43 which mentions “sons of God” and “sons of Israel” respectively. The reading
in 4QDeutj is supported by the LXX, and it is possible that 4QDeutj represents a textual
tradition that is apparently related to that of the Vorlage for the LXX. The exegetical
problems associated with the concept of “sons of God” are obvious and significant, so the
reading in 4QDeutj represents a clear case of variation at the hermeneutic level (see the
comments in note ). This is perhaps the only clear case of hermeneutic variation among
the entire collection of the Dead Sea Torah scrolls.