![]() ![]() Our English word scribe comes from the final step in the preparation of a scroll. His pen was a quill with the tip cut at a precise angle and length. ![]() These gallnuts contain tannin, a basic ingredient of ink. He made his ink from gallnuts, little round bulges that form on oak trees when certain insects lay their eggs. He was able to turn animal skins, usually sheepskins or deerskins, into fine leather surfaces that would absorb ink and retain the shapes of letters for hundreds of years. Every scribe knew how to manufacture the tools of his profession. Scribes were required to be expert in every aspect of their work. A scribe’s highest calling was to copy, precisely and without error, the words of the Bible. On display in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem is a clay fragment bearing the seal of Baruch the son of Neriah, the scribe who preserved in writing the words of Jeremiah the prophet. ![]() Some scribes served as notaries, placing their seals on documents to verify their authenticity. The Israelite scribe was first and foremost a faithful witness he wrote exactly what he heard, and he copied any writing exactly as it was given to him. Consequently, the role of the scribe was different in Israelite society, where everyone could read and write. Israel was unique, however, because every man was not only able to read, he was commanded to read. In God’s providence, the time of the Exodus from Egypt was the very time the simple 22-letter alphabet began to be used. Egyptian hieroglyphs and the cuneiform writing of Mesopotamia were difficult and complex. In ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, only the scribes could read and write. Other ancient civilizations also had scribes. From the ancient world to today, scribes (Hebrew, sopherim) have played a crucial role in preserving Jewish culture. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |