It is often presumed that biblical redaction was invariably done using conventional scribal
methods meaning that when editors sought to modify or compile existing texts they would do so
in the process of rewriting them upon new scrolls. There is however substantial evidence
pointing to an alternative scenario: Various sections of the Hebrew Bible appear to have been
created through a process of material redaction. In some cases ancient editors simply appended
new sheets to existing scrolls. Other times they literally cut and pasted their sources
carving out patches of text from multiple manuscripts and then gluing them together like a
collage. Idan Dershowitz shows how this surprising technique left behind telltale traces in the
biblical text - especially when the editors made mistakes - allowing us to reconstruct their
modus operandi. Material evidence from the ancient Near East and elsewhere further supports his
hypothesis. This is an extremely stimulating study that will have a lasting impact on the
scholarly discourse. [...] The Dismembered Bible is an outstanding example of what biblical
studies can learn from neighboring disciplines and hopefully marks only the beginning of a more
intense dialogue between exegesis and research on material aspects of textual production.
Translation of Anja Klein in Theologische Revue 117. Jahrgang September 2021 https: doi.org
10.17879 thrv-2021-3568
