(4Q161) זיהוי האויב בפשר ישעיה א קטעים 6-5 : אפשרות היסטורית שלא נשקלה

Fragments 5–6 of Pesher Isaiaha interpret the verses describing a military campaign of an enemy against Jerusalem in Isa 10:28–32. This campaign, which apparently refers to that of Sennacherib, ends in failure. The Pesher, too, describes a military campaign against Jerusalem. Following a discussion of the text of these fragments, the focal point of this article is the question of the identification of the enemy referred to in the Pesher. Identifying this enemy is crucial for understanding who were the ‘Kittim’ and the cult’s messianism, because the continuation of the Pesher deals with the downfall of the Kittim and the appearance of the Messiah, the ‘Shoot of David’. Mention of ‘the Valley of Acco’, not referred to in the biblical source, is a key to understanding the Pesher. It has been suggested that this refers to Ptolemy Lathyrus’ campaign against Alexander Jannaeus in 103/2 BCE; accordingly, the Kittim were identified as the Ptolemies. However, Lathyrus never reached Jerusalem. A different identification is proposed in this article, namely, that the Pesher alludes to Herod’s first attempt to conquer Jerusalem in 39 BCE. Herod began his campaign in Acco and mounted a siege on Jerusalem until he was forced to remove it. Accordingly, the Kittim in this Pesher, like in other Pesharim, are the Romans, Herod’s patrons and allies.