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Greek Words for Scroll and Book in Biblical Context

Ancient biblical texts were commonly recorded on scrolls, which were the predominant form of books in antiquity [3, 8]. The Hebrew term for such a "roll" or "volume" is meghillah (מְגִלָּה), appearing in passages like Ezra 6:2 and Jeremiah 36:2 [3, 9]. Similarly, the Greek term for "scroll" or "book" is biblion (βιβλίον) [1, 2].

These ancient books consisted of long strips of material, typically papyrus, parchment, or animal skins, which were rolled around a stick [5, 8, 17]. When a reader wished to access the text, the scroll would be unrolled [8]. The writing was usually arranged in columns [5, 8]. This format explains the specific notice in Ezekiel 2:10 of a scroll "written within and without," as scrolls were typically written on only one side [8].

The Hebrew word sepher (סֵפֶר) is a broader term, often translated as "book" or "writing," and can refer to a "roll of a book" [5]. For instance, Psalm 139:16 mentions "your scroll" (סִפְרְ/ךָ֮) [10]. In Ezra 6:1, the Aramaic plural of sephar is rendered "rolls" or "archives" [3]. The prophet Ezekiel describes seeing "a scroll of a book" (מְגִלַּת סֵפֶר, megillath sepher) stretched out to him, emphasizing the rolled form of the written material [4, 18]. Adam Clarke notes that volumen, the Latin root for "volume," derives from volvo, meaning "I roll," reflecting this ancient practice [18].

In the New Testament, the Greek word biblion (βιβλίον) is frequently used for "scroll" or "book" [1, 2, 6, 7]. For example, in Luke 4:17, Jesus "unrolled" (ἀναπτύξας, anaptyxas) the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue to read from it, and then "rolled it up again" after reading [19]. This action highlights the physical interaction with a scroll. The book of Revelation also uses biblion to refer to scrolls, such as the "scroll" in Revelation 6:14, which John Gill interprets as representing the Roman empire's paganism being "rolled up" [2, 15]. Revelation 5:1 mentions a scroll, and Revelation 10:2 and 10:8 refer to a "little book" or "little scroll" (βιβλαρίδιον, biblaridion), which Jamieson, Fausset & Brown suggest is a smaller portion of God's purposes compared to the larger scroll of Revelation 5:1 [6, 7, 14].

The Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Old Testament, uses kephalis in Hebrews 10:7 (referencing Psalm 40:7) to mean the "head or top of the stick or cylinder on which the manuscript was rolled," and by extension, the manuscript itself [3]. Adam Clarke explains that "in the volume of the book" (Hebrews 10:7) translates the Hebrew bimgillath sepher, meaning "in the roll of the book," and notes that the Pentateuch in Jewish synagogues is still written this way, with two wooden rollers for reading [17].

The Dead Sea Scrolls provide tangible examples of these ancient scrolls. The Temple Scroll, for instance, is over 8 meters long, demonstrating the significant length some of these rolled documents could achieve [11]. Another example, the Copper Scroll, was discovered as two rolled-up copper sheets [12]. These archaeological finds corroborate the biblical descriptions of written materials. Rashi, a medieval Jewish commentator, notes that gilyon (גִּלְיוֹן) is another Hebrew term for a scroll, similar to megillah, and could also refer to a tablet [13]. Abraham Ibn Ezra, another Jewish commentator, suggests that for specific rituals, such as the ordeal of the bitter water in Numbers 5:23, there was a dedicated "scroll" or "book" (ba-sefer) [16].

Sources

  1. STEPBible TAGNT “Luk.4.17#04=NKO — Greek tagged text (TAGNT): βιβλίον (biblion) [[the] scroll of] "G0975=N-NSN"”
  2. STEPBible TAGNT “Rev.6.14#06=NKO — Greek tagged text (TAGNT): βιβλίον (biblion) [a scroll] "G0975=N-NSN"”
  3. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Roll — The common form of ancient books. The Hebrew word rendered "roll" or "volume" is meghillah, found in Ezra 6:2; Ps. 40:7; Jer. 36:2, 6, 23, 28, 29; Ezek. 2:9; 3:1-3; Zech. 5:1, 2. "Rolls" (Chald. pl. of sephar, corresponding to Heb. sepher) in Ezra 6:1 is rendered in the Revised Version "archives." In the New Testament the word "volume" (Heb. 10:7; R.V., "roll") occurs as the rendering of the Greek kephalis, meaning the head or top of the stick or cylinder on which the manuscript was rolled, and hence the manuscript itself. (See [537]BOOK.)”
  4. Ezekiel “When I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me; and, behold, a scroll of a book was therein; -- Ezekiel 2:9”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Book — This word has a comprehensive meaning in Scripture. In the Old Testament it is the rendering of the Hebrew word sepher, which properly means a "writing," and then a "volume" (Ex. 17:14; Deut. 28:58; 29:20; Job 19:23) or "roll of a book" (Jer. 36:2, 4). Books were originally written on skins, on linen or cotton cloth, and on Egyptian papyrus, whence our word "paper." The leaves of the book were generally written in columns, designated by a Hebrew word properly meaning "doors" and "valves" (Jer. 36:23, R.V., marg. "columns"). Among the Hebrews books were general”
  6. STEPBible TAGNT “Rev.5.1#11=NKO — Greek tagged text (TAGNT): βιβλίον (biblion) [a scroll] "G0975=N-ASN"”
  7. STEPBible TAGNT “Rev.10.8#18=N(k)O — Greek tagged text (TAGNT): βιβλίον (biblion) [little scroll] "G0975=N-ASN"”
  8. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Roll — A book in ancient times consisted of a single long strip of paper or parchment, which was usually kept rolled upon a stick, and was unrolled when a person wished to read it. The roll was usually written on one side only, and hence the particular notice of one that was "written within and without." (Ezekiel 2:10) The writing was arranged in columns.”
  9. STEPBible TAHOT “Ezr.6.2#07=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): מְגִלָּ֣ה [me.gi.Lah] "a scroll"”
  10. STEPBible TAHOT “Psa.139.16#05=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): סִפְרְ/ךָ֮ [sif.re./Kha] "scroll/ your"”
  11. Dead Sea Scrolls “Temple Scroll (2nd century BCE (composition)), section 1: THE TEMPLE SCROLL (11QTemple / 11Q19) INTRODUCTION The Temple Scroll (11Q19) is the longest of all the Dead Sea Scrolls, measuring over 8 meters (approximately 28 feet) in length. It was discovered in Cave 11 at Qumran and was acquired in 1967 by the Israeli archaeologist Yigael Yadin during the Six-Day War, when it was recovered from a Bethlehem antiquities dealer who had kept it hidden beneath the floorboards of his shop since the 1950s. Yadin published the editio princeps in Hebrew in 1977 and in English in 1983. A second, more fragm”
  12. Dead Sea Scrolls “Copper Scroll (c. 50-100 CE), section 1: THE COPPER SCROLL (3Q15) INTRODUCTION The Copper Scroll (3Q15) is one of the most enigmatic and unusual documents among the Dead Sea Scrolls. It stands apart from every other Qumran text in virtually every respect: its material, its content, its language, its literary genre, and its purpose. Discovered in Cave 3 at Qumran on March 20, 1952, during the archaeological excavations led by Roland de Vaux and the Jordan Department of Antiquities, the scroll was found in a severely oxidized state, consisting of two rolled-up copper sheets that had originally b”
  13. Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Isaiah 8:1: scroll Heb. גִּלְיוֹן, like מְגִלָה. ([Mss. add:] Or a tablet.)”
  14. Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 10:2: he had--Greek, "Having." in his hand--in his left hand: as in Rev 10:5 (see on Rev 10:5), he lifts up his right hand to heaven. a little book--a roll little in comparison with the "book" (Rev 5:1) which contained the whole vast scheme of God's purposes, not to be fully read till the final consummation. This other, a less book, contained only a portion which John was now to make his own (Rev 10:9, Rev 10:11), and then to use in prophesying to others. The New Testament begins with the word "book" (Greek, "biblus"), of which "the little book" (Gre”
  15. Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 6:14: And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together,.... The manner of writing formerly was on rolls of parchment; hence the word volume is used for a book, which, when rolled up, the writing within could not be seen, not a syllable nor letter of it. In like manner the Roman empire, as Pagan, which was like a large sheet, or rather like the expanse or firmament of the heaven, stretched out over all the earth, was now, as to the Paganism of it, rolled up together, so that there were no more Heathen gods, nor Heathen priests; no more idolatry, and idolatr”
  16. Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Numbers 5:23: [IN A SCROLL.] They had a specific scroll for curses. 67 According to I.E. they had a special book which was used for this ritual. Our verse reads ba-sefer (in a book). Ba-sefer literally means in the book. Hence I.E.’s comment.”
  17. Hebrews (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Hebrews 10:7: In the volume of the book - במגלת ספר bimgillath sepher, "in the roll of the book." Anciently, books were written on skins and rolled up. Among the Romans these were called volumina, from volvo, I roll; and the Pentateuch, in the Jewish synagogues, is still written in this way. There are two wooden rollers; on one they roll on, on the other they roll off, as they proceed in reading. The book mentioned here must be the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses; for in David's time no other part of Divine revelation had been committed to writing. This whole book speaks abou”
  18. Ezekiel (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ezekiel 2:9: A hand was sent - Here the hand signifies not only the instrument of conveyance, but an emblem of the Divine power, which the hand of God always signifies. A roll of a book - מגלת שפר megillath sepher. All ancient books were written so as to be rolled up; hence volumen, a volume, from volvo, I roll.”
  19. Luke (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Luke 4:17: And when he had opened the book - Αναπτυξας, When he had unrolled it. The Sacred Writings used to this day, in all the Jewish synagogues, are written on skins of basil, parchment, or vellum, sewed end to end, and rolled on two rollers, beginning at each end; so that, in reading from right to left, they roll off with the left, while they roll on with the right. Probably the place in the Prophet Isaiah, here referred to, was the lesson for that day; and Jesus unrolled the manuscript till he came to the place: then, after having read, he rolled it up again, and returned ”
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