scribe

Everyday

1. (history) A person whose job was to write or copy documents by hand, before printing. tree →
2. (Bible) In the New Testament, the scribes were experts in Jewish law. tree →
3. (school) An adult who writes down a pupil's answers in a test. tree →
4. (informal, humorous) A writer or journalist. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons, Egyptian scribes wrote hieroglyphs; monks were scribes copying Bibles. In the Bible, Jesus spoke with the scribes and Pharisees. In school, a scribe helps a child who cannot write easily. Phrases: «act as a scribe», «the scribes and Pharisees».

Examples

• Ancient Egyptian scribes wrote on papyrus. tree →
• The monk worked as a scribe copying the Bible. tree →
• In the Bible, Jesus argued with the scribes. tree →
• A scribe helped Sam write his test answers. tree →
• You can be the scribe for your group. tree →
• The king's scribe wrote down every word. tree →
• By his orders this story and the others I had told him were written by his scribes in letters of gold, and laid up among his treasures. tree →

Note

Countable. Related: «scribble», «script». In group work the «scribe» is the person who writes notes.

In Jewish tradition

In the Prophets and Writings scribes are royal officials, like Sheva in David's court and the sons of Shisha under Solomon. Jeremiah complains that the scribes' pen has worked falsely.

Interpretation. In Sefer Yetzirah it is part of the three ways God made the world: Scribe, Script and Scroll, which is also writing, counting and speaking. Jeremiah's verse is read as a warning that those who copy and teach the Torah must not twist it.

Examples

• (1) "isiD (Scribe), the man whom God inspired to invent the alphabet; (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →
• Thirty-two mysterious ways has the Lord, Lord of hosts, ordained through Scribe, Script, and Scroll. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →
• "Thirty-two mysterious ways has the Lord, the Lord of hosts, ordained through Scribe, Script and Scroll." (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →
• and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; (Prophets 2SA.20.25, JPS 1917) tree →
• Lo, certainly in vain hath wrought the vain pen of the scribes. (Prophets JER.8.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; (Prophets 1KI.4.3, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable. Related: «scribble», «script». In group work the «scribe» is the person who writes notes.