The Finger of the Scribe

Abstract

Abstract The Finger of the Scribe shows how ancient Israelite scribes learned to read and write. It demonstrates that early alphabetic curriculum developed at the end of the second millennium, while Egypt still ruled over Canaan and scribes used cuneiform as a lingua franca. This political and social context provides the background for the emergence of early alphabetic literacy in Israel. Using comparisons from Mesopotamia and Egypt, archaeological evidence, and fresh interpretations of old and new Hebrew inscriptions, this book pieces together the early Israelite scribal education. A basic principle in scribal literacy was the adaptation of their education for doing their day-to-day work as well as for the emergence of new literary genres. In this way, The Finger of the Scribe illustrates the many ways in which scribal education shaped the writing of the Hebrew Bible itself.