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Remembering the Covenant in Beer-Sheba:

 Let us look closely at both chapters to see how the author works the at-bash:    second line, the second verse with the 21  line. The 3  line with the 20  verse, and so
                                                         st
                                                                     rd
                                                                                     th
 1.  The poet emphasized the key root twice in the opening verses of chapters 1-2, and   םלוע in Genesis 21:33 and Some Epigraphic Evidence

 once in the last verse (e.g., תובר  ,   יתבר ,יתבר ( 1, 1, 22; chapter 2 verses 1, 22:  'ה ףא םויב  on.
 From Writing Exercise to Literary Masterpiece:
  ופא
  םויב ,ופאב //. It appears that the lamenter is delibratly sending a message to the
                   In 1976, I deciphered the 11th cent BCE Izbet Sarta ostracon and identified the fifth
                                                                
 reader to look for repititons of every type.        Jan Dušek
 Hebrew Epigraphy and Biblical Literature
                                                                  2
 2.  Repetition of two-word phrases or items:    line  as  the earliest  twenty-two letter  abecedary.   Albeit a simple  writing exercise
                                               Charles University, Prague

 1, 2 םחנמ הל ןיא +םיביואל // 1, 21 יביוא לכ + יל םחנמ ןיא       executed by one or two novices, this ostracon is an important source for the history of
                   elementary education in antiquity as well as for the evolution of the alphabet. This
 3.  Synonyms:   Aaron Demsky   1.  םלוע לא הוהי and Abraham’s story in Gen 21:22–33
 1  , 8  התורע //   , 15  הלותב      observation has been generally accepted with the exception of one or two naysayers
 1
               It is my pleasure to contribute to this volume in honour of Professor Gabriel Barkay, who has
 Our  friend Gabi  Barkay  is  one  of the  most  prominent  archeologists  of the  biblical   among the paleographers  who  did  not  recognize  its cultural  significance.   Of
 4.  Synonyms + homophones:
                                                                                               3

 ביוא
 1, 7 הידורמו הינע + רצ // 1, 16 )םימ( הדרי יניע יניע +
 period  noted  for  his  field  work  and  his  many  publications  and  especially  as a   dedicated his career to discovering the history of Jerusalem, as well as other places in Israel. I
                   particular interest was the peh-`ain (and also ḥet-zain) letter order.
 5.  Opposite parallels:
 stimulating lecturer and sought after authority. One of his great achievements, along   would like to focus on the name and epithet םלוע לא הוהי that the Book of Genesis 21:22–33

   // 1, 14 םוק לכוא אל
 א
   1

 9
 ,
  דרתו
 לפ
 םי
 with his  protégé  the archeologist,  Zachi Devira,  is directing  The  Temple  Mount   connects with  Beer-Sheba,  one of  the earliest  Yahwistic sanctuaries  known in  the literary
 6.  Transposed order of verbs:   tradition.
 Sifting Project  founded  in  November 2004. Under  their direction,  the Project  has
 1, 9 אטיבהו 'ה האר // ,   12 וארו וטיבה   The text in Gen 21:22–33 narrates a story about Abraham during the time he dwelled in

 1
 rescued from  oblivion  many  artifacts  that  shed light  on the  history of  the  Land of
 7.  Chiasm between two parallel stiches:   the south of Canaan. It provides an explication of the origin of the name of the place of the
 Israel, and especially Jerusalem.

 2, 10 ןויצ תב תלותב םילשורי //    , 2    13   םילשורי  תלותב ןויצ תב       Yahwistic sanctuary, with a tamarisk tree in Beer-Sheba, and dates its creation back to the time
    8.  In chapter two we find similar sounding words:
 His contribution to our understanding of the biblical world is due to Gabi’s ability to   of Abraham. The story has two focuses. One of them is Abraham’s conclusion of a pact with
 2
  םעזב //
 ,
 םמז רשא

 ,
 2

 6
 17
 integrate material culture with the literary evidence. Both the Bible and written finds   Abimelek. According to the story, Abimelek saw that God (םיהלא) was with Abraham in all that
 9.  Homophones with different meanings:
               he did and, not wishing to have Abraham as an enemy, Abimelek asked Abraham to swear to
 are aspects of ancient Israelite culture, and at times they complement each other. No
 2, 10  ומדי
   , 2
 13
 ךל המדא

  //

               him “by God (םיהלא ב)” that he would not deal falsely with him. Abraham agreed to do this (Gen
 doubt  among  Gabi’s  greatest  discoveries  were the two silver  amulets  incised  with
 10. Same lexemes:

  הינהכ
   , 1   //
 4   , 1
 19
  ינהכ
 variants of the Birkat Kohanim (Numb. 6: 24-26), the earliest epigraphic evidence of a   21:22–24) but first he needed to resolve the problem of a well that he had dug (v. 30) and that
 This word appears only twice in this chapter in these corresponding verses.
 biblical passage.    had been seized by Abimelek’s servants; this is the second focus. Finally, the two men made a
 1
               covenant; Abraham gave sheep and oxen to Abimelek, and, moreover, he also gave him seven
   To sum up, the poet uses various literary devices to enhance the parallelism emphasizing   Izbet Sarta inscription (ca. 1100 BCE)
 In this  paper,  I want  to  discuss  another case of the  interface of  epigraphy and  the   ewe lambs as a witness that it was indeed Abraham who had dug the well. The place is named
 -
 פ
 the at-bash structure. In spite of the fact that in the first chapter there is an  ע order and

 Bible, where we find a biblical author who adapted an elementary writing exercise,   עבש ראב “Beer-Sheba,” as it was the place where the two men swore the oath (םהינש ועבשנ םש יכ,
 in  the  second chapter a  - order, the  intricate  at-bash  structure  that  I have  identified
 פ
 ע
                   I  compared the  transposed order  of  peh-`ain  in this  epigraphic  find to  its  literary
 fundamentals of his scribal craft, and made it into a work of sublime poetry. I propose   v. 31); the name also alludes to the number of seven (עבש) ewe lambs. The new toponym was
 strengthens the claim that both chapters were composed by the same author.  I propose
                                                   4
                   expression in  Lamentations  2-4.   Subsequently  this  letter order  was  found in  a
 that in  Lamentations  chapters  1 and 2,  the  author created  another more  complex   apparently intended to commemorate the conclusion of the covenant. After the covenant was
 that these  chapters  have  evolved from  elementary  writing  exercises  like  the  abecedary
 nd
 structure, an intricate network linking the first verse with the last – the 22  verse. The   made, it is believed that Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-Sheba, invoking the name of
 and the at-bash drill. Ultimately, it was the accomplished poet who composed the Book
               Yahweh, the Everlasting God (םלוע  לא הוהי םשב םש ארקיו; Gen 21:33). Although the text does
 of  Lamentations  and  created a  new literary  expression  that  eternalizes  this traumatic
                   2
                    Aaron Demsky, “A Proto-Canaanite Abecedary Dating from the Period of the
                                                    not tell us explicitly who planted the tree and invoked the name of Yahweh, based on sound
 event giving order to the storm of emotions which it engendered.   reasoning, commentators attribute this activity to Abraham; see, for example, the translation
                   Judges and its Implications for the History of the Alphabet,” Tel Aviv, 4, (1977), pp. 14-27; idem, “The
 1
   ;76-37 'מע ,)1989(  52  הרדתק  "םילשוריב  םוניה  ףתכמ  ףסכ  תויחול  לע  םינהכה  תכרב"  ,יאקרב  לאירבג  Gabriel
 Barkay, “The Priestly Benedictions on Silver Plaques from Ketef Hinnom in Jerusalem”, Tel Aviv 19/2   ‘Izbet Sartah Ostracon - Ten Years Later”, in: Israel Finkelstein, ed. ‘Izbet Sartah. An Early Iron Age
 (1992), pp 139-194; idem et al. “The Amulets from Ketef Hinnom: A New Edition and Evaluation,”   Site (BAR International Series 299). (Oxford, 1986), pp 186-197.
   BASOR 334 (2004), pp. 41-71. See also Aaron Demsky, Literacy in Ancient Israel (Jerusalem’ 2012),
                   3
                     Joseph Naveh, “Some Considerations on the Ostracon from 'Izbet Sarta”, IEJ 28, (1978) pp. 31-35,
 pp, 223-224 (Hebrew), where I suggest that these inscribed items reflect the power of writing to free     This study is a result of research funded by the Czech Science Foundation at Charles University in Prague as part
                   esp. p. 33; Benjamin Sass, The Alphabet at the Turn of the Millennium (Tel Aviv, 2005).
 the oral blessing from its cultic setting and make it the possession of the individual Judean. See also   of the project GA ČR 20-26324S “Scribal traditions in the Aramaean territories of the Levant in the Iron Age:
                   4
                    The order has been identified in different versions of ancient texts, see the Septuagint of Prov 31:25-
 Meir Bar-Ilan  .לארשי  ינב לע ימש תא ומשו " HUCA 60 (1989), pp 19-31 (Hebrew).   centres of scribal cultures and their spread.”
 ”
                   26.

 46                                                       35
 repeated  threefold  abecedary  written  in  ink  on a jar from  Kuntilat  `Ajrud   and   Temple (6, 14). For a fuller discussion on these exercises, see my study of elementary   lived  circa 520 BCE.   This  literary phenomenon of  signing has  been noted  for   chapters, see Joshua Berman’s paper.  Below we will suggest our own reading of the
 5
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              32
                                                                                                                                                            26
                                                                                                                                                            26
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              32
                                   11
 afterwards the ḥet-zain order as well as two others (waw-he and lamed-kaf) turned up   scribal education.                             lived  circa 520 BCE.   This  literary phenomenon of  signing has  been noted  for                                  chapters, see Joshua Berman’s paper.  Below we will suggest our own reading of the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           pairs.
                                                                                                                                       Ezekiel in his consecration (3, 7-9, 14):
 in the Tel Zayit inscription.  In spite of their obvious differences and the separation of                                            Ezekiel in his consecration (3, 7-9, 14):  ֹ  ֹ  ָּ      ֹ      ֹ                                                   pairs.
 6


                                                                                                                                                          לֵא ָּרְשׂי תיֵב לָּכ י כ יָּלֵא ַעמְשׁ ל םי בא םניֵא י כ ךָיֶלֵא ַעמְשׁ ל וּבאי אלֹ לֵא ָּרְשׂי תיֵבוּ )ז(
                                                                                                                                                     יֵקזִח
                                                                                                                                          בֵל יֵשְׁקוּ חַצֵמ


                                                                                                                                                       ְ
                                                                                                                                                                                   ֹ
                                                                                                                                                                                      ָּ
                                                                                                                                                                                                       ֹ
                                                                                                                                                       ְ


                                                                                                                                                                                                ֹ
                                                                                                                                                                            ֹ
 over  500  years,  both  the  Izbet  Sartah ostracon and the  Book of  Lamentations   Then the teacher tested the novice by various simple writing exercises or permutations     בֵל יֵשְׁקוּ חַצֵמ   יֵקזִח  לֵא ָּרְשׂי תיֵב לָּכ י כ יָּלֵא ַעמְשׁ ל םי בא םניֵא י כ ךָיֶלֵא ַעמְשׁ ל וּבאי אלֹ לֵא ָּרְשׂי תיֵבוּ )ז(
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        הָּמֵה                             This literary development adds another dimension to the work of the accomplished
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           This literary development adds another dimension to the work of the accomplished
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    הָּמֵה
 preserved a scribal tradition that may have been a local Israelite one, beginning in the   of the alphabet. Notably, it was the at-bash exercise that best challenged the cognitive      םָּחְצ מ תַמֻעְל  קזָח   ךֲָחְצ מ תֶאְו םֶהינְפ תַמֻעְל ם  ִִקזֲח  ךָינָּפ תֶא י תַתנ הנ ה )ח(  scribe who is writing for a wider, literate, audience. On the one hand, the author is
                                                                                                                                                                                                                ָּ
                                                                                                                                                                                                    ָ י
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ֵ
                                                                                                                                                                                          ֵ
                                                                                                                                                                            ָ
                                                                                                                                                                                                        ֶ
                                                                                                                                                                                                        ֶ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                ָּ
                                                                                                                                                                                          ֵ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ֵ
                                                                                                                                                                            ָ
                                                                                                                                                                                                    ָ י
 7
 premonarchial era and extending into the post exilic period.  Indeed, both respective   skills of the learner to move beyond learning the letters by rote. Jeremiah, assuming      םָּחְצ מ תַמֻעְל  קזָח   ךֲָחְצ מ תֶאְו םֶהינְפ תַמֻעְל ם  ִִקזֲח  ךָינָּפ תֶא י תַתנ הנ ה )ח(  scribe who is writing for a wider, literate, audience. On the one hand, the author is
 א קרפ הכיא

                                                                                                                                                                                                        ֹ
                                                                                                                                                                                                      ָּ
                                                                                                                                                                                                               רי מָּשְׁכ )ט(
                                                                                                                                                                                                             ָ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           composing an alphabetic acrostic, and on the other, repeating the same or similar root,
                                                                                                                                                                        ֵֵנְפ מ תַחֵת אלְֹו םָּתוֹא א ָּרי ת אלֹ ךֶָחְצ מ י תַתָּנ רֹ צמ
 texts, are actually at opposite ends of literacy, i.e., one a beginner’s exercise, while the   that his audience was minimally literate, applied the at-bash exercise to enhance his      :הָּמֵה י  רְמ תיֵב י כ םֶהי    :הָּמֵה י  רְמ תיֵב י כ םֶהינְפ מ תַחֵת אלְֹו םָּתוֹא א ָּרי ת אלֹ ךֶָחְצ מ י תַתנ רצ מ  קזָח קָזָח  רי מָּשְׁכ )ט(  composing an alphabetic acrostic, and on the other, repeating the same or similar root,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           word or phrase in corresponding sentences, in what is termed an at-bash order, or a
                                                                                                                                                                      :   :    הָקזָח יַלָּע 'ה דהָקָזָח  יַלָּע 'ה דיְו י חוּר תַמֲחַב רַמ ךְֵלֵאָּו ינֵחָּק תַו ינְתאַָּשׂנ ַחוּרְו )די(  word or phrase in corresponding sentences, in what is termed an at-bash order, or a
                                                                                                                                                                         ָ
                                                                                                                                                                                                               ְ

                                                                                                                                                                                  ַַיְו י חוּר תַמֲחַב רַמ ךְֵלֵאָּו י נֵחָּק תַו י נְתאַָּשְׂנ ַחוּרְו )די(

 other  an  accomplished  literary  work.  In my opinion,  the poet  chose  this form  as  a   prophecy and encourage his  audience to  actively decipher it. These prophesies
                                                                                                                                       :and for Micah (7,18):  27                                                                                          chiastic chain. This so-called chain finds a correspondence in the first and last letters,
                                                                                                                                                             27
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           chiastic chain. This so-called chain finds a correspondence in the first and last letters,
                                                                                                                                       :and for Micah (7,18):
 challenge  to  his artistic prowess  to  express his  thoughts  in this  tight  alphabetic   illustrate the application of writing drills in creating literary compositions:
                                                                                                                                                 אוּה דֶסֶח ץֵפָּח י כ וֹפַא דַעָּל קיזֱחֶה   אלֹ וֹתָּלֲחנ תי  רֵאְשׁ ל עַשֶׁפ לַע רֵבעְו ןוָֹּע אֵשׂנ   ךָוֹמ ִָכ  ל    ֵא  יִמ  )חי(    the  second and 21 st  letter, and so  on.  The  usual  chiastic pattern  in biblical and
                                                                                                                                                                                ַ

                                                                                                                                                                                                        ֹ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              st
                                                                                                                                                                                                 ֹ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           the  second and 21   letter, and so  on.  The  usual  chiastic pattern  in biblical and
                                                                                                                                                                                                 ֹ
                                                                                                                                                                                ַ
                                                                                                                                                                                                        ֹ

 8
 acrostic.   assuming  that the  audience  was  somewhat literate  would  appreciate  the                                                        אוּה דֶסֶח ץֵפָּח י כ וֹפַא דַעָּל קיזֱחֶה   אלֹ וֹתָּלֲחנ תי  רֵאְשׁ ל עַשֶׁפ לַע רֵבעְו ןוָֹּע אֵשׂנ   ךָוֹמ ִָכ  לֵא   יִמ  )חי(
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   33, which is characteristic of oral recitation.
                                                                                                                                       And perhaps in Hoshea (1, 7):                                                                                       Canaanite poetry is short a+b+c//c`+b`+a` 33
 aesthetically pleasing structure. Likewise, whoever uses the expression “from A to Z”     הכ קרפ הימרי                                And perhaps in Hoshea (1, 7):                                                                                       Canaanite poetry is short a+b+c//c`+b`+a` , which is characteristic of oral recitation.
                                                                                                                                                                                                            ְ
                                                                                                                                        םי סוּסְב  הָּמָּחְל מְבוּ  ב ֶרֶחְבוּ  תֶשֶׁקְב    םֵעי ִשוֹא   אלְֹו  םֶהיֵהלֱֹא  'הַב   םיִתְע ַׁשוֹהְו   םֵח ַרֲא  הָּדוּהי  תיֵב  תֶאְו  )ז(  The  chiastic  chain is  a  long and more  complicated  pairing  of  many  words.  This
 to express completeness,  or  alternately  ת  דע   ף"ל  מ - א   (BT Shabbat  55  a),  or  “from      :יָּדָּמ יֵכְלַמ לָּכ תֵאְו םָּליֵע יֵכְלַמ לָּכ תֵאְו   12 י  רְמ    ז יֵכְלַמ לָּכ תֵאְו )הכ(   םי סוּסְב  הָּמָּחְל מְבוּ  ב ֶרֶחְבוּ  תֶשֶׁקְב    םֵעיִשוֹא   אלְֹו  םֶהיֵהלֱֹא  'הַב   םיִתְעַׁשוֹהְו   םֵח ַרֲא  הָּדוּהי  תיֵב  תֶאְו  )ז(  The  chiastic  chain is  a  long and more  complicated  pairing  of  many  words.  This
 ו"
                                                                                                                                                                                                            ְ
                                                                    ֹ
 ΄Aλφα  to  ΄Ωμέγα”  (Revelation 22:13)  is  assuming that the listener  has  a basic    הָּמָּדֲאָּה י   ֵנְפ לַע רֶשֲׁא ץ ֶראָָּה תוֹכְלְמַמַה לָּכ תֵאְו וי חאָ לֶא שׁי א םי קח ְרָּהְו םי ברְקַה ןוֹפָּצַה יֵכְלַמ לָּכ תֵאְו )וכ(  םי שׁ ָּרָּפְבוּ   literary device complements the division of these chapters into almost equal halves,
                                                                            ֹ
                                                                                                                                       םי שׁ ָּרָּפְבוּ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           literary device complements the division of these chapters into almost equal halves,
 understanding of the alphabet.                                                .      םֶהי ֵרֲחאַ הֶת  ְשׁי      ךְַשֵׁשׁ  ךְֶלֶמוּ                                                                                                                        expressed sometimes in different voices, as we noted above. A further guidepost to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           expressed sometimes in different voices, as we noted above. A further guidepost to
                                                                                               אנ קרפ                                  Identifying the inner structure of Lamentations 1 and 2                                                             the reader left by the author signaling this pattern, is the doubling of the key word in
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           the reader left by the author signaling this pattern, is the doubling of the key word in
                                                                                                ֹ
 Scribal training                                    .    תי חְשַׁמ ַחוּר   יָּמָּק בֵל  יֵבְשֹׁ  - י  לֶאְו לֶבָּב - לַע רי עֵמ יננ ה 'ה רַמאָ הכ  א    Identifying the inner structure of Lamentations 1 and 2                                           the first verse of both chapters. In order that the chapter holds the readers’ interest, the

                                                                                       ְ
                                                                                                                                       The French biblical  scholar Albert  Condamin   was  probably the first  to discern  a                              the first verse of both chapters. In order that the chapter holds the readers’ interest, the
                                                                                                                                                                                   28
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           author uses various types of parallelisms which we will illustrate below.
                                                           ְ

 Abecedaries are the basic writing exercises in all alphabetic cultures.  The first step in   םיוֹגַּב לֶבָּב הָּמַשְׁל הָּתיָּה ךְיֵא ץ ֶראָָּה - לָּכ תַל הְת שֵׂפָּת תַו   ךְַשׁ    ֵשׁ  הָּדְכְלנ ךְיא   ֵ  אמ
 9
                                              .
                                                                                                                                                                                   28
                                                                                                                                       The French biblical  scholar Albert  Condamin   was  probably the first  to discern  a                              author uses various types of parallelisms which we will illustrate below.
                                                                                                                                       certain repetitive pattern in the acrostics of Lamentations chs. 1 and 2, where a word

 learning to  write is  to  master  the  alphabet  first,  by developing manual dexterity in
                                                                                                                                       certain repetitive pattern in the acrostics of Lamentations chs. 1 and 2, where a word                                This type of structure has been known since the beginning of the 20  century. Even
                                                                                                                                                                                                       st
                                                                                                                                       or a phrase is repeated in the first and last verse, the second and 21  verse and so on,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             th
 copying the form of the letters, and second, by memorizing their order, usually aided   The next step takes the writer out of the school allowing him/her to practice literary
                                                                                                                                                                            \ \
                                                                                                                                       e.g., )בכ   ,א ,א( תובר //יתבר or םחנמ הל ןיא  )אכ ,ב   ,א( ול םחנמ ןיא . He called it ‘concentric                  so, it has  been  ignored  by  most  commentators.  More recently,  it has  been  outright
                                                                                                                                                                                                       st
                                                                                                                                       or a phrase is repeated in the first and last verse, the second and 21  verse and so on,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             th
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           This type of structure has been known since the beginning of the 20  century. Even
 by a mnemonic song. This elementary stage is reflected in the number of abecedaries   creativity in  composing an acrostic  poem.  One of  the earliest  examples  is the
                                                                                                                                                                                                          29
                                                                                                                                       structure’. This idea was developed to the extreme by Johan Renkema.  It was Meir                                   rejected.  Adele Berlin   has  called it  “a  random event or worse  -  a delusion of the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                34
                                                                                                                                                                                   ,א( ול םחנמ ןיא . He called it ‘concentric
                                                                                                                                                                            \ \

                                                                                                                                               ,א ,א( תובר //יתבר or םחנמ הל ןיא  )אכ ,ב

                                                                                                                                       e.g., )בכ
 found in  Hebrew  epigraphy and in  Ammonite  seals  (written  in  negative).  Another   incomplete acrostic in Nahum, chapter 1. It is no surprise that this genre appears in                                                                            so, it has been  ignored  by most commentators.  More recently, it has been  outright
                                                                                                                                                                             30
                                                                                                                                       Weiss who called this pattern AT-BASH  but other than giving a few examples from                                    commentator”.  In his                                          35
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                34 authoritative  commentary, Jacob Klein   follows  Berlin
                                                                                                                                                                                                          29
 learning exercise was using the alphabet to order and recall information, particularly   the seventh century BCE prophesy. I have argued that, already in the 8  century BCE,   structure’. This idea was developed to the extreme by Johan Renkema.  It was Meir   rejected. Adele Berlin  has called it “a random event or worse - a delusion of the
                                                                                     th
                                                                                                                                       the text,  he went  on to treat  other literary matters.  Yehiel  Zvi  Moscovitz in his                             claiming  that  “most of the  evidence for this  theory  is  forced and based on the
                                                                                                                                                                             30
 10
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          35
 personal names.  I proposed that the prophet Zechariah alphabetized the names of the   there was  a notable increase in  literacy in  ancient  Israel.  This  phenomenon  of an   Weiss who called this pattern AT-BASH  but other than giving a few examples from   commentator”.  In his  authoritative  commentary, Jacob Klein   follows  Berlin
                                                                                                                                       Hebrew commentary on Lamentations in the Da’at Miqra series does not cite Weiss                                     imagination  of the  commentator”.  Taking this  critique in  mind, we now  turn  to
 donors  (Helem,  Tuvia and  Yedayah)  who  sent  gifts to the  treasury  of  the Second   incomplete acrostic is noted in Song of Songs Rabba 1, 7: “This poet when making an   the text,  he went  on to treat  other literary matters.  Yehiel  Zvi  Moscovitz in his   claiming  that  “most of the  evidence for this  theory  is  forced and based on the
                                                                                                                                       but  does  recognize the  pattern  and tries  his  hand at  listing  the  corresponding                             Lamentations 1-2 and try to understand their structure.
                   alphabetic  (acrostic),  at  times  will complete  it and  at  other times  will leave it                           Hebrew commentary on Lamentations in the Da’at Miqra series does not cite Weiss                                     imagination  of the  commentator”.  Taking this  critique in  mind, we now  turn  to
                                                                                                                                                   31
                                                    13                                                                                 components.  For a thorough study of claims of biblical chiastics in light of these two
 5  Shmuel Ahituv in Ze’ev Meshel, et al, Kuntillet ʻAjrud (Ḥorvat Teman): An Iron Age II Religious Site   incomplete.”  Most of the other full and abbreviated biblical acrostics are in the book   but  does  recognize the  pattern  and tries  his  hand at  listing  the  corresponding   Lamentations 1-2 and try to understand their structure.
 on the  Judah-Sinai Border  (Jerusalem,  2012); idem, Shmuel  Ahituv.  "Notes  on the  Kuntillet 'Ajrud   of Psalms (Psalms 9-10, 25, 34,  37, 112, 114, 119, 145. Chapter 119 is notable for   31
                                                 14
 Inscriptions", Eshel, Esther; Levin, Yigal (eds.). "See, I will bring a scroll recounting what befell me"                             components.  For a thorough study of claims of biblical chiastics in light of these two
 (Ps 40:8): Epigraphy and Daily Life from the Bible to the Talmud. (2014, Göttingen), pp. 29–38.   the eightfold repetition of the letters of the alphabet; The Book of Proverbs has several
 6  Tappy, Ron E., P. Kyle McCarter, Marilyn J. Lundberg, Bruce Zuckerman, "An Abecedary of the
 Mid-Tenth Century B.C.E. from the Judaean Shephelah", BASOR 344 (2006), pp 5–46.
 7  Mitchel First, "Using the Pe–Ayin Order of the Abecedaries of Ancient Israel to Date the Book of   11  Aaron Demsky, Literacy (Jerusalem, 2012), ch. 4, pp. 169-182; Nahman Avigad and Benjamin Sass,   26   See already  Azriel  Rosenfield,  96 'מע )1992(  110  יניס  "ה  קרפ  הכיאב  ןוכיטסורקא",  cited by  Phillipe
 Psalms,” Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 38(4) (2014), pp. 471-485.   Corpus of West Semitic Stamp Seals (Jerusalem, 1997), pp. 366-371.   Guillaume,  "Lamentations  5: the  Seventh  Acrostic,"  Journal of  Hebrew  Scriptures  9  (2009), p 4.   32  Joshua Berman, “Criteria for Establishing Chiastic Structure: Lamentations 1 and 2 as Test Cases”,
 8   Compare  other  structured  literary  works like  the  14-line  sonnet  or  the  3-line  haiku  with 5-7-5   12  If the original text had the more difficult יכמז and not ירמז - if so, it’s an at-bash equivalent of  "םליע"   However, his further reading of the word ‘איבנה’ is forced.   Maarav 21/1-2 (2017), pp. 57-69.
                                                                                                                                       27
 syllables.        which leads me to believe that those following words "םליע יכלמ לכ"  are an explanatory conflate of  לכ "                                                                                                                               33  Gen 9:6 - ךֵפָּשי וֹמָּד םָּדאָָּב םָּדאָָּה םַד ךְֵפשׁ on this literary phenomenon see Wilfred G.E Watson, “Chiastic
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ֹ

                                                                                                                                         ;229 'מע )1993( םישוריפו םינויע הכימ רפס  ,ןוגרו לאומש Moshe Greenberg, Ezekiel 1-20 (Garden City,
 9   Marshall McLuhan and Robert  K. Logan,  “Alphabet, Mother of Invention,”  Et Cetera  A Journal   "ירמז יכלמ (see the same phenomenon in I Chron. 5, 26). Note also that in Jeremiah 25 and Jeremiah 51   26   See already  Azriel  Rosenfield,  96 'מע )1992(  110  יניס  "ה  קרפ  הכיאב  ןוכיטסורקא",  cited by  Phillipe
                                                                                                                                       1983), p. 69.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Patterns in Biblical Hebrew Poetry”, in John W. Welch (ed) Chiasmus in antiquity, Provo, Utah (1981),
 Devoted to the Role  of  Symbols  in  Human Behavior  34  (1977), pp. 373-383; Aaron  Demsky,   the code names  מק בל , ךשש have a parallel לבב, so there should be no mistake.   Guillaume,  "Lamentations  5: the  Seventh  Acrostic,"  Journal of  Hebrew  Scriptures  9  (2009), p 4.   32  Joshua Berman, “Criteria for Establishing Chiastic Structure: Lamentations 1 and 2 as Test Cases”,
                               י
                                                                                                                                       28
                                                                                                                                         Albert Condamin, “Symmetrical Repetitions in Lamentation Chapters 1-2”, Journal of Theological
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           pp 118-169.
 “Abecedaries”, in William W. Hallo (ed.), The Context of Scripture-Vol. 1: Canonical Texts from the   13  "הל לסחימ תילד ןינמזו הל לסחמ ןינמז ,אתיב אפלא דיבע דכ אנטייפ ןידה"   However, his further reading of the word ‘איבנה’ is forced.               Maarav 21/1-2 (2017), pp. 57-69.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           34
                                                                                                                                       Studies 7 (1905), pp. 137-140.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Adele Berlin, Lamentations –A Commentary (Louisville, London, 2002), p. 6. See also Delbert R.
 Biblical World (Leiden), (1997), pp. 364-367.   14  See  Amos Hakham,  Da’at mikra: Psalms, (Jerusalem:  Mossad Harav Kook ,1990), vol 1, p. 189   27  Renkema, op.cit., pp. 296-297; 307-309.                                                            33 Hillers, Lamentations Anchor Bible (Garden City, 1992), p. 29: “unconvincing and strained”.
                                                                                                                                       29
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Gen 9:6 - ךֵפָּשי וֹמָּד םָּדאָָּב םָּדאָָּה םַד ךְֵפשׁ on this literary phenomenon see Wilfred G.E Watson, “Chiastic
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ֹ
                                                                                                                                         ;229 'מע )1993( םישוריפו םינויע הכימ רפס ,ןוגרו לאומש Moshe Greenberg, Ezekiel 1-20 (Garden City,

 10  Jack Goody, The Domestication of the Savage Mind (Cambridge, 1977), p 111.    footnote 9. He suggests that the original orders of the letters of this chapter were peh-ayin.   30  Meir Weiss, “`Al megilat Eichah”, Turei Yeshurun 1 (1976), pp. 11-16 (Hebrew).   35   Jacob Klein,  Lamentations  –  Introduction and  Commentary  (Tel  Aviv, Jerusalem, 2017),  p.  27
                                                                                                                                       1983), p. 69.                                                                                                       Patterns in Biblical Hebrew Poetry”, in John W. Welch (ed) Chiasmus in antiquity, Provo, Utah (1981),
                                                                                                                                       31
                                                                                                                                         Albert Condamin, “Symmetrical Repetitions in Lamentation Chapters 1-2”, Journal of Theological
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           pp 118-169.
                                                                                                                                       28  Yehiel Z. Moscovitz, Eichah, Hamesh Megilot (Jerusalem, 1990), pp. 7-8 (Hebrew).                                (Hebrew).
                                                                                                                                       Studies 7 (1905), pp. 137-140.                                                                                      34  Adele Berlin, Lamentations –A Commentary (Louisville, London, 2002), p. 6. See also Delbert R.
 44                                                       37                                                                           29  Renkema, op.cit., pp. 296-297; 307-309.   42                                                                    Hillers, Lamentations Anchor Bible (Garden City, 1992), p. 29: “unconvincing and strained”.


                                                                                                                                       30  Meir Weiss, “`Al megilat Eichah”, Turei Yeshurun 1 (1976), pp. 11-16 (Hebrew).                                  35   Jacob Klein,  Lamentations  –  Introduction and  Commentary  (Tel  Aviv, Jerusalem, 2017),  p.  27
                                                                                                                                       31  Yehiel Z. Moscovitz, Eichah, Hamesh Megilot (Jerusalem, 1990), pp. 7-8 (Hebrew).                                (Hebrew).
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