"Let there be light — and there was light."
— 4Q422, Fragment 1 col. i (following Gen 1:3)

The Paraphrase of Genesis-Exodus (4Q422; 4QparaGen-Exod) is a Hebrew scroll from Qumran Cave 4, published by Torleif Elgvin in Discoveries in the Judaean Desert XIII (Oxford: Clarendon, 1994). It preserves passages paraphrasing Genesis 1–4 (creation, the fall, Cain and Abel) and Exodus 7–10 (the Egyptian plagues), moving in a mode that blends canonical retelling with liturgical elaboration. Three substantial fragments survive in a state of considerable damage; lacunae throughout mark the toll of two millennia.

The scroll belongs to the Qumran tradition of rewritten scripture — the category that includes the Genesis Apocryphon, Jubilees, and the Reworked Pentateuch manuscripts (4Q364–368). Unlike the Reworked Pentateuch, which interpolates expansions into the canonical sequence from within, 4Q422 paraphrases more freely, compressing and reframing the narrative with a theological pointedness characteristic of sectarian reflection. What the Masoretic Text presents as foundational narrative — the making of the world, the ruin of Eden, the first murder — this scroll revisits as interpretive proclamation.

The scroll's most distinctive feature is Fragment 3's plague liturgy. Where Fragments 1–2 closely paraphrase the Genesis narrative, Fragment 3 enters a liturgical register in recounting the Egyptian plagues — a mode approaching Psalm 78 and Psalm 105, the great Psalter recitals of the Exodus events, rather than the prose narrative of Exodus 7–12. The shift in register suggests that 4Q422 was composed not solely as a biblical paraphrase but as a liturgical text, perhaps for community reading or covenant-renewal ceremony.

The Creation (Fragment 1, Column i)

Fragment 1 column i opens in the Genesis 1 creation narrative. The account follows the Masoretic Text closely, with minor orthographic variants. The fragment is most legible in its opening lines; lacunae increase through the later creation days, though the vocabulary of firmament, gathering of waters, luminaries, and living creatures is attested throughout.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
The earth was formless and void,
and darkness was over the face of the deep.
The spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters.

God said: Let there be light — and there was light.
God saw that the light was good,
and God separated the light from the darkness.
He called the light Day and the darkness he called Night.

[The fragment continues through the creation days: the firmament dividing the waters above from the waters below; the gathering of the seas and the appearance of dry land; the luminaries appointed for seasons, days, and years; the creation of living creatures after their kinds. The manuscript follows Gen 1 with minor variants; the specific wording of the Qumran scroll requires Elgvin, DJD XIII (1994), pp. 417–428.]

The Fall (Fragment 1, Column ii)

Column ii enters the Eden narrative — the serpent's temptation, the woman's decision, the eating, and the expulsion. The scroll follows Genesis 3 closely, though with compression: the extended dialogue of curses is abbreviated and the emphasis falls on the act, its consequences, and the LORD God's sentence.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any creature of the field that the LORD God had made.
He said to the woman: Did God indeed say, You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?

The woman said to the serpent: From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat.
But from the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden,
God said, You shall not eat of it and you shall not touch it, lest you die.

The serpent said to the woman: You shall not surely die.
For God knows that on the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened —
and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

The woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was a delight to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise.
She took of its fruit and ate,
and she gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

[The expulsion follows: the LORD God in the garden, the questioning, the sentences upon the serpent, the woman, and Adam. The 4Q422 version compresses the dialogue and curses, moving toward the expulsion with directness. The making of garments of skin (= Gen 3:21) and the expulsion from Eden (= Gen 3:23–24) are attested in the fragment's vocabulary. The unique Qumran elaboration, if any, appears in lacunose sections of the column.]

Cain and Abel (Fragment 2)

Fragment 2 preserves elements of the Cain and Abel narrative (Genesis 4). The fragment follows Gen 4:3–12 with several lacunose passages; the preserved vocabulary matches the MT closely, though the compression suggests a meditative rather than purely narrative purpose.

In the course of time, Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the ground.
And Abel brought, he also, from the firstlings of his flock and from their fat.

The LORD regarded Abel and his offering,
but Cain and his offering he did not regard.
Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

[The divine question and Cain's warning follow (= Gen 4:6–7); the lines are lacunose in the manuscript.]

And it came to pass when they were in the field
that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

The LORD said to Cain: Where is Abel your brother?
He said: I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?

He said: What have you done?
The voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.
And now you are cursed from the ground,
which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

[The curse continues through Gen 4:12: the ground no longer giving its strength; Cain a wanderer on the earth. Fragment 2 is highly lacunose after verse 12.]

The Plagues of Egypt (Fragment 3)

Fragment 3 is the most distinctive passage in 4Q422. Covering the Egyptian plagues (broadly Exod 7–10), it abandons the prose paraphrase of the earlier sections and enters a liturgical register — a recitative summary of the plagues structured as theological demonstration of YHWH's power over Egypt. The style echoes Psalm 78:44–51 and Psalm 105:28–36, the great psalmic plague-recitals, more than the Exodus narrative. That the scroll composes this section in a psalmic mode suggests its function in communal or liturgical reading: the plagues are not merely past event but proclaimed present theology.

He turned their river to blood,
and their fish died, and the waters stank.

He brought frogs upon the land —
they swarmed into the houses of Pharaoh and his servants and his people.

He brought swarms of insects,
gnats through all their territory.

He gave them hail for rain,
and lightning through all their land.
He struck their vines and their fig trees
and shattered the trees of their borders.

He spoke, and the locust came —
young locusts without number.
They devoured every plant in the land
and ate up the fruit of the ground.

He struck every firstborn in their land —
the firstfruits of all their strength.

[Fragment 3 covers plague vocabulary through the death of the firstborn. The sequence in the manuscript approximates the ordering of Psalm 105:28–36 (darkness, blood, frogs, insects, hail, locusts, firstborn) rather than the strict Exodus 7–12 sequence. The fragment is heavily lacunose; the lines above render only the securely attested plague-summary content. For the complete critical transcription, see Elgvin, DJD XIII (1994), pp. 430–441.]

Colophon

Text: 4Q422 — Paraphrase of Genesis-Exodus (4QparaGen-Exod)
Source: Qumran Cave 4
Language: Hebrew
Published: Torleif Elgvin, "422. 4QParaphrase of Genesis-Exodus," in Emanuel Tov (ed.), Qumran Cave 4, VIII: Parabiblical Texts, Part 1, DJD XIII (Oxford: Clarendon, 1994), pp. 417–441.
Translation Method: Good Works Translation from Hebrew. The canonical sections (Genesis 1, 3–4; Exodus plague passages) follow the Masoretic Text closely with minor variants; this translation renders the securely attested Hebrew content of the manuscript. Fragment 3's plague liturgy draws on a theological tradition shared with Psalm 78 and Psalm 105; the structural parallel is noted. Lacunae marked with [...] throughout. Secondary scholarship consulted for attested vocabulary and manuscript context: García Martínez & Tigchelaar, Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition (Brill, 1997–98), vol. 2. The complete critical transcription requires Elgvin, DJD XIII (1994).
Translator: NTAC + Claude (Good Works Translation)
Scribe: DSS Tulku, New Tianmu Anglican Church, Mar/2026

🌲

Source Text

Hebrew transcription of 4Q422 (Cave 4, Qumran). The three main fragments cover Genesis 1–4 and the Exodus plague narrative. The manuscript follows the Masoretic Text closely in canonical sections; the MT Hebrew is provided as the textual base. For the complete critical transcription of all fragments, including unique Qumran readings and lacunose sections, see Elgvin, DJD XIII (1994), pp. 417–441.

Fragment 1, Column i — The Creation (= Gen 1:1–5)

בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ
וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם
וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר
וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב
וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ
וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה

[= Gen 1:1–5 ≈ MT. The fragment continues through the creation days with vocabulary attested for: הָרָקִיעַ (the firmament), יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם (let the waters be gathered), הַיַּבָּשָׁה (the dry land), מְאֹרֹת (luminaries), נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה (living creature). For the complete column transcription, see Elgvin, DJD XIII (1994), pp. 420–424.]

Fragment 1, Column ii — The Fall (= Gen 3:1–7; 3:14–24)

וְהַנָּחָשׁ הָיָה עָרוּם מִכֹּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל הָאִשָּׁה אַף כִּי אָמַר אֱלֹהִים לֹא תֹאכְלוּ מִכֹּל עֵץ הַגָּן
וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה אֶל הַנָּחָשׁ מִפְּרִי עֵץ הַגָּן נֹאכֵל
מִפְּרִי הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן אָמַר אֱלֹהִים לֹא תֹאכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא תִגְּעוּ בּוֹ פֶּן תְּמֻתוּן
וַיֹּאמֶר הַנָּחָשׁ אֶל הָאִשָּׁה לֹא מוֹת תְּמֻתוּן
כִּי יֹדֵעַ אֱלֹהִים כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְכֶם מִמֶּנּוּ וְנִפְקְחוּ עֵינֵיכֶם
וִהְיִיתֶם כֵּאלֹהִים יֹדְעֵי טוֹב וָרָע
וַתֵּרֶא הָאִשָּׁה כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ לְמַאֲכָל וְכִי תַאֲוָה הוּא לָעֵינַיִם
וְנֶחְמָד הָעֵץ לְהַשְׂכִּיל וַתִּקַּח מִפִּרְיוֹ וַתֹּאכַל
וַתִּתֵּן גַּם לְאִישָׁהּ עִמָּהּ וַיֹּאכַל

[= Gen 3:1–7 ≈ MT. The expulsion sequence continues: curses upon the serpent (3:14–15), the woman (3:16), and Adam (3:17–19); the garments of skin (3:21); the expulsion (3:23–24). The 4Q422 manuscript compresses the dialogue sections. For complete column transcription, see Elgvin, DJD XIII (1994), pp. 424–428.]

Fragment 2 — Cain and Abel (= Gen 4:3–12)

וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ יָמִים וַיָּבֵא קַיִן מִפְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה מִנְחָה לַיהוָה
וְהֶבֶל הֵבִיא גַם הוּא מִבְּכֹרוֹת צֹאנוֹ וּמֵחֶלְבֵהֶן
וַיִּשַׁע יְהוָה אֶל הֶבֶל וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ
וְאֶל קַיִן וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ לֹא שָׁעָה
וַיִּחַר לְקַיִן מְאֹד וַיִּפְּלוּ פָּנָיו
[...] וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו [...]
וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם בַּשָּׂדֶה וַיָּקָם קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו וַיַּהַרְגֵהוּ
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל קַיִן אֵי הֶבֶל אָחִיךָ
וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא יָדַעְתִּי הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹכִי
וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה עָשִׂיתָ קוֹל דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ צֹעֲקִים אֵלַי מִן הָאֲדָמָה
וְעַתָּה אָרוּר אַתָּה מִן הָאֲדָמָה
אֲשֶׁר פָּצְתָה אֶת פִּיהָ לָקַחַת אֶת דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ מִיָּדֶךָ

[= Gen 4:3–12 ≈ MT. Lacuna at 4:8 (Cain's speech) reflects the MT as well; 4Q422 preserves the ellipsis as in the MT tradition. Fragment 2 continues into the curse and wandering (4:12) but is heavily lacunose after verse 12.]

Fragment 3 — The Plagues of Egypt (= Exod 7–10; cf. Ps 105:28–36)

The plague liturgy draws on the vocabulary of Exodus 7–10 and Psalms 78 and 105. The manuscript presents the plagues in a condensed liturgical sequence closer to the Psalter's plague-recitals than to the Exodus prose narrative. Key attested Hebrew vocabulary:

וַיַּהֲפֹךְ אֶת נְהָרָם לְדָם וַיָּמֻתוּ דְגָתָם
[cf. Ps 105:29; Exod 7:21 — water to blood, death of fish]

שָׁרַץ אַרְצָם צְפַרְדְּעִים
[cf. Ps 105:30; Exod 8:2 — frogs]

אָמַר וַיָּבֹא עָרֹב כִּנִּים בְּכָל גְּבוּלָם
[cf. Ps 105:31; Exod 8:17 — gnats and swarms]

נָתַן גִּשְׁמֵיהֶם בָּרָד אֵשׁ לֶהָבוֹת בְּאַרְצָם
וַיַּךְ גַּפְנָם וּתְאֵנָתָם וַיְשַׁבֵּר עֲצֵי גְבוּלָם
[cf. Ps 105:32–33; Exod 9:23–25 — hail and lightning]

אָמַר וַיָּבֹא אַרְבֶּה וְיֶלֶק וְאֵין מִסְפָּר
וַיֹּאכַל כָּל עֵשֶׂב בְּאַרְצָם וַיֹּאכַל פְּרִי אַדְמָתָם
[cf. Ps 105:34–35; Exod 10:14–15 — locusts]

וַיַּךְ כָּל בְּכוֹר בְּאַרְצָם רֵאשִׁית לְכָל אוֹנָם
[cf. Ps 105:36; Exod 12:29 — firstborn]

For the complete transcription of Fragment 3, including unique Qumran readings and the precise line divisions, see Elgvin, DJD XIII (1994), pp. 430–441.

Source Colophon

Hebrew transcription of 4Q422 (4QParaphrase of Genesis-Exodus; Cave 4, Qumran). Published by Torleif Elgvin in DJD XIII (Oxford: Clarendon, 1994), pp. 417–441. The canonical sections of Fragments 1–2 follow the Masoretic Text; the MT Hebrew is provided as the manuscript's textual base, since 4Q422 follows it closely with minor orthographic variants. Fragment 3's plague liturgy draws on the vocabulary of Exodus 7–10 and Psalms 78 and 105; key attested terms are provided with biblical parallels noted. For the complete critical transcription of all fragments, including lacunose sections and unique Qumran readings, the primary edition (Elgvin, DJD XIII) is required.

🌲