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How was the Bible written?
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Jan 11, 2024 · Ever wonder what physical materials were used to write the texts of the Bible, or when writing and such materials were invented and if they correspond with biblical claims? This article adresses those questions and provides insightful information for any student of the Bible and its physical construction.
- Stone. One of the most ancient of all writing surfaces was stone. Job mused: Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever!
- Wooden Tablets. Some of the notes made by the prophets Habakkuk and Isaiah were perhaps written upon wooden tablets. We read the following: The LORD answered me: Write down this vision; clearly inscribe it on tablets so one may easily read it.
- Clay Tablets. Clay tablets were popular in the ancient Middle East for the straight lines of cuneiform script. However, they were not as adaptable to the Hebrew script with its curved lines.
- Papyrus. Papyrus is one of the most ancient writing materials known to humans. It was used in Egypt three thousand years before the time of Christ. This surface was made from the papyrus plant which grew in swampy areas in the delta of the Nile River.
Dec 28, 2016 · The ink is a charcoal, water, and gum conglomeration; although they were not adverse to using animal blood. Charcoal inks were cheap, easy to obtain, and came out looking like black printer ink. As for the paper, papyrus was common in Greece, but these were Jews from the Promised Land.
The earliest manuscripts of the Bible were written on papyrus scrolls, which were long and narrow sheets of writing material that were glued together to form a continuous surface.
The earliest biblical texts were written on scrolls made from papyrus (a plant-based paper) or parchment (animal skins that had been scraped, burnished, and stitched together). It is very likely that all biblical books were initially written on scrolls.
In Greco-Roman times minuscules were used for the usual daily writing. In parchments from the 4th to the 9th centuries, both majuscules and minuscules were used for New Testament manuscripts, but by the 11th century all the manuscripts were minuscules.
The writers and compilers of the Bible used a variety of literary forms in which to cast their works. Within the tradition of biblical writing and compilation, such literary forms became influential and constrained and enabled the way in which the books were written.
