Qumran Manuscripts and Literary Developments in the Book of Leviticus

The book of Leviticus is usually considered as having been well preserved. There is a large consensus that all its witnesses reflect one edition. This is often explained by the fact that legal materials are less amenable to change. This article challenges the consensus. It points out discrepancies that can be explained as literary, redactional, recensional, or editorial. As is the case in M (to a lesser extent), Smr, and G, Qumran manuscripts also contain examples showing how scribes added, omitted, or modified some textual elements, producing different meanings and thus different revised editions.