The Material Reconstruction of 4QSongs of the Sageb (4Q511)

This study presents the results of my attempt to materially reconstruct 4QSongs of the Sageb (4Q511). The major findings, substantiated by the detailed discussion presented here, may be summarized as follows: (1) 4Q511 was at least 2 meters long and contained at least sixteen columns of writing. (2) Fragments representing material from fifteen out of the sixteen reconstructed columns can be arranged in their original order. (3) Columns contained at least 25 lines of writing, yielding a minimum column height of about 17.5 cm. (4) The composition contained in 4Q511 is not simply identical to the composition preserved in 4Q510, as scholars have assumed generally. It is more likely that they represent differing recensions of the same work or two different works, one of which has depended on the other, or both of which have depended on
a common source.