Scribe
Scribes
A scribe was said at one point in history to be a person who serves as a professional copyist, especially one who made copies of manuscripts before the invention of automatic printing. The profession of the scribe, previously widespread across cultures, lost most of its prominence and status with the advent of the printing press. The work of scribes can involve copying manuscripts and other texts as well as secretarial and administrative duties such as the taking of dictation and keeping of business, judicial, and historical records for kings, nobles, temples, and cities. The profession has developed into public servants, journalists, accountants, bookkeepers, typists, and lawyers. In societies with low literacy rates, street-corner letter-writers may still be found providing scribe service.
In the Old Testament the term is translated from[1].
In the Old Testament the Hebrew word caphar[1] is translated as "scribe" and "to count". It also means a "enumerator, muster-office". He had a role in the government of Israel for a peculiar people. What were their duties to keep the nation together?
In the New Testament we see the Greek word .[2]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 05608 סָפַר caphar [saw-far’] a primitive root; v/n m; [BDB-707b] [{See TWOT on 1540 }] [{See TWOT on 1540 @@ "1540c" }] AV-scribe 50, tell 40, declare 24, number 23, count 6, shew forth 5, writer 4, speak 2, accounted 1, commune 1, told out 1, reckon 1, penknife + 08593 1, shewing 1, talk 1; 161 v
- 1) to count, recount, relate
- 1a) (Qal)
- 1a1) to count (things)
- 1a2) to number, take account of, reckon
- 1b) (Niphal) to be counted, be numbered
- 1c) (Piel) to recount, rehearse, declare
- 1c1) to recount (something), rehearse
- 1c2) to talk
- 1c3) to count exactly or accurately
- 1d) (Pual) to be recounted, be rehearsed, be related
- 1a) (Qal)
- n m
- 2) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe
- 2a) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary
- 2b) learned man, scribe
- 1) to count, recount, relate
- ↑ 1122 γραμματεύς grammateus [gram-mat-yooce’] from 1121 gramma which is any writing; n m; TDNT-1:740,127; [{See TDNT 163 }] AV-scribe 66, townclerk 1; 67
- 1) a clerk, scribe, esp.a public servant, secretary, recorder, whose office and influence differed in different states
- 2) in the Bible, a man learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings, an interpreter, teacher. Scribes examined the more difficult and subtle questions of the law; added to the Mosaic law decisions of various kinds thought to elucidate its meaning and scope, and did this to the detriment of religion. Since the advice of men skilled in the law was needed in the examination in the causes and the solution of the difficult questions, they were enrolled in the Sanhedrin; and are mentioned in connection with the priests and elders of the people. See a Bible Dictionary for more information on the scribes.
- 3) a religious teacher: so instructed that from his learning and ability to teach advantage may redound to the kingdom of heaven