עוד על סיפור נחש במגילת שמואל מקומראן מגמתו ותפוצתו

The article explores the well known passage in 4QSama about Nahash and reinforces its understanding as a Midrashic expanded version of the original passage, which was close to the Massoretical text. A new suggestion regarding the purpose of this expanded version is given: it was intended to harmonize between the story about Nahash in 1 Sam 11 and that in Judges 21, according to which the entire population of Yabesh Gilead were killed. This expanded passage was known in ancient times, as reflected in Josephus’ Antiquities. It is claimed here that the version attested in 4QSama was probably known also to the author of 1 Maccabees already at the turn of the second century BCE.