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The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English
A newly updated edition of the landmark translation by one of our greatest religious scholars
Since its publication in 1962, esteemed biblical expert Géza Vermes's translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls has established itself as the authoritative standard. The original manuscripts, discovered in the Judean Desert between 1947 and 1956, completely transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism, and the origin of Christianity. Now in its seventh edition, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English has been updated with a number of previously unpublished texts, as well as extensive new introductory material and notes. Some sixty years after the Scrolls' discovery, this revised and expanded volume crowns a lifetime of research by Vermes.
For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Since its publication in 1962, esteemed biblical expert Géza Vermes's translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls has established itself as the authoritative standard. The original manuscripts, discovered in the Judean Desert between 1947 and 1956, completely transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism, and the origin of Christianity. Now in its seventh edition, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English has been updated with a number of previously unpublished texts, as well as extensive new introductory material and notes. Some sixty years after the Scrolls' discovery, this revised and expanded volume crowns a lifetime of research by Vermes.
For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
698 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 201
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About the author
Géza Vermes
85 books53 followersGéza Vermes was a Jewish Hungarian scholar and writer on religious history, particularly Jewish and Christian.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
May 21, 2016
A rare look inside an isolationist Jewish cult
14 September 2012
I suspect that Vermes is probably the foremost expert on the Dead Sea Scrolls since it seems that every book about it is either written, or edited, by him, but then that is simply an observation that I have made. For those not familiar with these ancient documents they were found hidden in a cave by the Dead Sea in about 1947 by a young shepherd and they have been classified as one of the most significant archaeological finds of the last century. Basically they are a collection of scrolls written by a Roman era Jewish sect known as the Essenes and among the many non-biblical scrolls they also contain a complete copy of the book of Isaiah and pretty much sections of every other book of the Old Testament, and most importantly, some of these scroll date back to at least 100 BC. In fact, other than the Babylonian tablets and the Egyptian wall writings, they are probably some of the oldest texts that we have.
The Essenes were an isolationist Jewish sect that had become disgusted with both sides of Jewish politics, being those collaborating with Rome and those rebelling against Rome, and took the third option: leave society and go an establish your own, pure, society in the middle of the desert. These scrolls actually contain details of their cleansing rituals as well as admission requirements for new members. In fact, they appear to be very cultish, effectively rejecting the world of the day and having pretty much nothing to do with it. They would be very similar to some of the isolationist Christian cults that we see around the place, though probably closer to say the likes of Branch Davidian than some of the cults that actually abide by the rules of society, while living separate from them (remember, the whole Branch Davidian fiasco really came down to the fact that they we so isolationist that they refused to pay taxes, which is why the FBI came down so hard of them - they were not terrorists like the Jewish Zealots were).
These scrolls also give us an insight into the ways that the Old Testament books were written, in that we have a number of scrolls which contain merely outlines of the books rather than the complete text itself, as well as commentaries on various aspects of these books. The Essenes were very traditional Jews, so the scrolls really only contain literature that relates to Jewish Literature than to any of the foreign influences that we find in the Gnostic Gospels. The Jewish mind set of the day was generally to reject anything that was not Jewish (unless you were a collaborator and then all bets were off).
These scrolls are pre-Christian, and in fact pre-Christ, so despite suggestions to the contrary, there are no New Testament documents among the collection. However, we do have glimpses of the idea of the Messiah in these texts and what the Essenes at least were looking for. However, it appears that they were not looking for one, but two, separate Messiahs, one being a teacher and another being a ruler. Many of the fundamentalist Jews of the day were expecting a warrior King, along the line of David and Joshua, rather than a king of Wisdom, along the line of Moses and Solomon. This also comes out amongst the scrolls, particularly with references to the Kittim, which we understand as being the Romans.
Remember, things were different in those days in that it was a lot easier to isolate oneself from society that it is now. Despite the vast tracks of emptiness that cover the world, it is difficult for us Westerners to live a self sufficient lifestyle; the government will always intrude. Now I do not necessarily consider modern government to be a bad thing, but I am not all in favour of the current practices either. In a way I consider that governments are a necessary evil. It differed for the Jews than to me though because I am a citizen of my nation-state, whereas the Jews were an occupied people. Whatever freedoms they had were always dictated to them by the Roman legate.
14 September 2012
I suspect that Vermes is probably the foremost expert on the Dead Sea Scrolls since it seems that every book about it is either written, or edited, by him, but then that is simply an observation that I have made. For those not familiar with these ancient documents they were found hidden in a cave by the Dead Sea in about 1947 by a young shepherd and they have been classified as one of the most significant archaeological finds of the last century. Basically they are a collection of scrolls written by a Roman era Jewish sect known as the Essenes and among the many non-biblical scrolls they also contain a complete copy of the book of Isaiah and pretty much sections of every other book of the Old Testament, and most importantly, some of these scroll date back to at least 100 BC. In fact, other than the Babylonian tablets and the Egyptian wall writings, they are probably some of the oldest texts that we have.
The Essenes were an isolationist Jewish sect that had become disgusted with both sides of Jewish politics, being those collaborating with Rome and those rebelling against Rome, and took the third option: leave society and go an establish your own, pure, society in the middle of the desert. These scrolls actually contain details of their cleansing rituals as well as admission requirements for new members. In fact, they appear to be very cultish, effectively rejecting the world of the day and having pretty much nothing to do with it. They would be very similar to some of the isolationist Christian cults that we see around the place, though probably closer to say the likes of Branch Davidian than some of the cults that actually abide by the rules of society, while living separate from them (remember, the whole Branch Davidian fiasco really came down to the fact that they we so isolationist that they refused to pay taxes, which is why the FBI came down so hard of them - they were not terrorists like the Jewish Zealots were).
These scrolls also give us an insight into the ways that the Old Testament books were written, in that we have a number of scrolls which contain merely outlines of the books rather than the complete text itself, as well as commentaries on various aspects of these books. The Essenes were very traditional Jews, so the scrolls really only contain literature that relates to Jewish Literature than to any of the foreign influences that we find in the Gnostic Gospels. The Jewish mind set of the day was generally to reject anything that was not Jewish (unless you were a collaborator and then all bets were off).
These scrolls are pre-Christian, and in fact pre-Christ, so despite suggestions to the contrary, there are no New Testament documents among the collection. However, we do have glimpses of the idea of the Messiah in these texts and what the Essenes at least were looking for. However, it appears that they were not looking for one, but two, separate Messiahs, one being a teacher and another being a ruler. Many of the fundamentalist Jews of the day were expecting a warrior King, along the line of David and Joshua, rather than a king of Wisdom, along the line of Moses and Solomon. This also comes out amongst the scrolls, particularly with references to the Kittim, which we understand as being the Romans.
Remember, things were different in those days in that it was a lot easier to isolate oneself from society that it is now. Despite the vast tracks of emptiness that cover the world, it is difficult for us Westerners to live a self sufficient lifestyle; the government will always intrude. Now I do not necessarily consider modern government to be a bad thing, but I am not all in favour of the current practices either. In a way I consider that governments are a necessary evil. It differed for the Jews than to me though because I am a citizen of my nation-state, whereas the Jews were an occupied people. Whatever freedoms they had were always dictated to them by the Roman legate.
January 31, 2019
I've been itching to read this for a long time as it is undeniably one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th century. I was unaware that prior to the discovery of the scrolls, no existing Hebrew examples of the Old Testament survived from before the birth of Christ – many thanks to the wandering Bedouin shepherd who came across the caves.
The Holy Land at this time was being pressed by external influences (namely the Greeks and Romans) and fizzing with different Jewish groups such the Zealots, Sadducees and Pharisees - the latter two Jesus had a few run-ins with. The texts provide a fascinating insight into the Essenes, a Jewish sect who lived a strictly regimented and ascetic existence.
The scrolls illuminate their religious practices and outlooks at this time – as well as some of their stricter rules: “Whoever has spoken a foolish word shall do penance for 20 days and will be excluded for 3 months...whoever interrupts the words of his companion and lets himself go will do penance for 10 days and whoever lies down and falls asleep at the meeting shall be excluded for 30 days and do penance for 10 days...whoever has guffawed foolishly making his voice heard shall be excluded for 30 days and shall do penance for 15 days...whoever has drawn out his left hand to gesticulate with it, shall do penance for 10 days”. I would be doing a lot of penance had I been an Essene.
I really enjoyed the lyricism of the thanksgiving hymns: “Who among thy great and marvellous creatures can stand in the presence of thy glory? How then can he who returns to his dust? For thy glory’s sake alone hast thou made all these things” and even the sternest moralising scrolls have translated well into a poetic English. Much of the latter half of the book is preoccupied with secondary apocryphal stories of the biblical prophets and scrolls dealing with biblical interpretation and the end of days. A fleeting reference is made to the “son of God” that is, the Messiah. To conclude with The Copper Scroll is a tantalising one, as it is a list of where the supposed riches of the Essenes may be located and how to access them: “Between the two tamarisk trees in the Vale of Akhon, in their midst dig three cubits. There there are two pots full of silver”. I dare anyone to not feel at least a little bit like Indiana Jones reading that. All in all, a fascinating read.
The Holy Land at this time was being pressed by external influences (namely the Greeks and Romans) and fizzing with different Jewish groups such the Zealots, Sadducees and Pharisees - the latter two Jesus had a few run-ins with. The texts provide a fascinating insight into the Essenes, a Jewish sect who lived a strictly regimented and ascetic existence.
The scrolls illuminate their religious practices and outlooks at this time – as well as some of their stricter rules: “Whoever has spoken a foolish word shall do penance for 20 days and will be excluded for 3 months...whoever interrupts the words of his companion and lets himself go will do penance for 10 days and whoever lies down and falls asleep at the meeting shall be excluded for 30 days and do penance for 10 days...whoever has guffawed foolishly making his voice heard shall be excluded for 30 days and shall do penance for 15 days...whoever has drawn out his left hand to gesticulate with it, shall do penance for 10 days”. I would be doing a lot of penance had I been an Essene.
I really enjoyed the lyricism of the thanksgiving hymns: “Who among thy great and marvellous creatures can stand in the presence of thy glory? How then can he who returns to his dust? For thy glory’s sake alone hast thou made all these things” and even the sternest moralising scrolls have translated well into a poetic English. Much of the latter half of the book is preoccupied with secondary apocryphal stories of the biblical prophets and scrolls dealing with biblical interpretation and the end of days. A fleeting reference is made to the “son of God” that is, the Messiah. To conclude with The Copper Scroll is a tantalising one, as it is a list of where the supposed riches of the Essenes may be located and how to access them: “Between the two tamarisk trees in the Vale of Akhon, in their midst dig three cubits. There there are two pots full of silver”. I dare anyone to not feel at least a little bit like Indiana Jones reading that. All in all, a fascinating read.
November 3, 2014
An accessible translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS).
Vermes was a great scholar, well-attuned to Rabbinic texts and thus the history of Judaism, and this is reflected in his treatment of the DSS. The introduction may be long but it is thorough, discussing the circumstances of the discovery of the DSS, a history of the translation of the DSS, what is to be learned from the DSS, a survey of scholastic opinion regarding the relationship between the DSS and Qumran, and of course a great analysis of the Essene Jewish community at Qumran as reflected in the DSS. Furthermore, each individual text has an introduction describing its contents to the best of our understanding.
It should be noted that this collection does not include the Biblical texts discovered in the caves around Qumran but does include everything else: the community's sectarian texts, apocryphal and pseudepigraphal texts, commentaries on the Biblical texts, compositions written according to the themes of the Biblical texts, etc. Vermes consolidates texts which feature many manuscripts and notes which manuscripts underlie which sections.
The translation effectively communicates the meaning of the texts in English. Many of the texts demand some level of understanding of Second Temple Judaism, and this is where the introduction will prove quite helpful to the non-specialist.
This is a highly recommended translation of the DSS especially for those who are interested in learning more about them but are not specialists in the field.
Vermes was a great scholar, well-attuned to Rabbinic texts and thus the history of Judaism, and this is reflected in his treatment of the DSS. The introduction may be long but it is thorough, discussing the circumstances of the discovery of the DSS, a history of the translation of the DSS, what is to be learned from the DSS, a survey of scholastic opinion regarding the relationship between the DSS and Qumran, and of course a great analysis of the Essene Jewish community at Qumran as reflected in the DSS. Furthermore, each individual text has an introduction describing its contents to the best of our understanding.
It should be noted that this collection does not include the Biblical texts discovered in the caves around Qumran but does include everything else: the community's sectarian texts, apocryphal and pseudepigraphal texts, commentaries on the Biblical texts, compositions written according to the themes of the Biblical texts, etc. Vermes consolidates texts which feature many manuscripts and notes which manuscripts underlie which sections.
The translation effectively communicates the meaning of the texts in English. Many of the texts demand some level of understanding of Second Temple Judaism, and this is where the introduction will prove quite helpful to the non-specialist.
This is a highly recommended translation of the DSS especially for those who are interested in learning more about them but are not specialists in the field.
July 9, 2012
It's hard not to want to rate something like this very high as the fact that we even have any of this preserved is absolutely amazing. Much of this work is fragmented but the information given at the start of each book really helps you know where it came from and what is known about the text. Interesting to note that Gilgamesh is mentioned in one of the works. Its amazing what history/tradition gets carried into each age. I think reading something like this makes you wonder exactly what made each part of the bible as it is currently presented "from god" and to be followed to the letter while works like this that were cut and pasted from the past are ignored. What and who decides what is Cannon? It seems fairly arbitrary when you take into account the vast number of texts that there would have been to draw from. This compilation is a real treasure and made for a very interesting read.
September 2, 2018
It is an intriguing read, however, I feel it is a little upsetting that the translation cleaves to the Christian way of translating scriptures instead of using a more contemporary way to translate, More faithful to the original text and less Old/Middle Englishy
It is high time we depart from the Christian tyrannical influence over religious texts, translations included.
I was very happy however to see a very early little fragment of the Megillah Esther, which shows that it is not a late invention as many like to claim… and for sure the story has a solid basis and is much older than Christians and Anti-Semitic Zealots say it is. It also shows that the Anti-Semitic theories that Jewish knowledge derives from Greco-Romans and is “ younger” than Christianity is yet another baseless anti-Semitic claim, and even though these scrolls are mostly sectarian, being derived from other Jewish texts proves they are far older than the Heathens like to deride they are ( Whenever I discuss this they claim Jewish liturgy emerged as late as the 5th century C.E and is therefore a derivative of Aristotelian/ Greek Thought… when in fact Greeks did derive their knowledge and philosophical systems from Hebrew/Babylonian Knowledge and Philosophy… once more Archeology places Jewish scholarship back ahead of all other historical currents.
It is high time we depart from the Christian tyrannical influence over religious texts, translations included.
I was very happy however to see a very early little fragment of the Megillah Esther, which shows that it is not a late invention as many like to claim… and for sure the story has a solid basis and is much older than Christians and Anti-Semitic Zealots say it is. It also shows that the Anti-Semitic theories that Jewish knowledge derives from Greco-Romans and is “ younger” than Christianity is yet another baseless anti-Semitic claim, and even though these scrolls are mostly sectarian, being derived from other Jewish texts proves they are far older than the Heathens like to deride they are ( Whenever I discuss this they claim Jewish liturgy emerged as late as the 5th century C.E and is therefore a derivative of Aristotelian/ Greek Thought… when in fact Greeks did derive their knowledge and philosophical systems from Hebrew/Babylonian Knowledge and Philosophy… once more Archeology places Jewish scholarship back ahead of all other historical currents.
March 6, 2024
Wooo! Hard to review this one, but like my last comment, it is interesting to read supporting documents from similar time periods of the Bible. It’s like reading the Bible for the first time, yet knowing that the words do not hold the same authority of the Bible. Some are stories continued, others are treasure maps, hymns, letters, psalms, proposed drama with Noah or the nephylim, it has it all. Interesting read for sure.
September 9, 2024
Geza Vermes' contributions to the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls are widely regarded as foundational and transformative. Vermes, a leading scholar in the fields of Jewish studies and early Christianity, played a critical role in bringing the Scrolls to public and academic attention, as well as in shaping how they are understood in the context of Second Temple Judaism and the origins of Christianity.
Vermes' work is notable for several reasons:
Scholarly Approach: Vermes' analysis is characterized by rigorous scholarship, a deep understanding of ancient languages (especially Hebrew and Aramaic), and a nuanced appreciation of Jewish traditions during the Second Temple period. His linguistic expertise allowed him to provide authoritative translations of the Scrolls, bringing their meanings into clearer focus for scholars and lay readers alike. Vermes’ translations stand out for their clarity and accessibility, making the Scrolls comprehensible to a broad audience while retaining academic integrity.
Contextualization within Judaism: One of Vermes' major contributions was his insistence on placing the Dead Sea Scrolls firmly within the context of Jewish history and tradition, rather than viewing them through a purely Christian lens. He argued that the texts reflect the diverse religious thought in early Judaism, particularly the beliefs of a sectarian group that likely resided at Qumran near the Dead Sea. Vermes emphasized that the Scrolls reveal a rich variety of Jewish theological ideas, practices, and eschatological hopes, including messianic expectations, apocalyptic visions, and purity laws.
Relationship to Early Christianity: Vermes was among the first to explore the connections between the Dead Sea Scrolls and early Christianity, noting similarities in language, eschatology, and community practices between the Qumran sect and the early followers of Jesus. However, he cautioned against overly simplistic or direct correlations between the two. Instead, Vermes proposed that the Scrolls provide valuable insight into the broader Jewish milieu from which Christianity emerged, helping scholars better understand the complex religious environment of first-century Judea.
Balanced Interpretations: Vermes consistently advocated for a balanced approach to interpreting the Scrolls. He rejected sensationalist claims that sought to position the Scrolls as the "missing link" between Judaism and Christianity, or as texts that would radically alter religious understandings. His scholarly integrity led him to present the Scrolls as part of a broader tapestry of Jewish religious thought, rather than as documents with a singular or revolutionary message.
Impact on Scholarship and Public Understanding: Through his books, such as The Dead Sea Scrolls in English, Vermes made the Scrolls accessible to a wide audience, fostering both scholarly debate and public interest. His accessible writing style and commitment to rigorous scholarship helped bridge the gap between academic specialists and general readers, making the Scrolls a topic of broader cultural and religious significance.
In summary, Geza Vermes’ work on the Dead Sea Scrolls is invaluable for its clear and careful translation, its emphasis on the Jewish context of the texts, and its measured exploration of the Scrolls’ relationship to early Christianity. Vermes' legacy in this field lies in his balanced and nuanced approach, which continues to influence contemporary scholarship and public understanding of one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.
Vermes' work is notable for several reasons:
Scholarly Approach: Vermes' analysis is characterized by rigorous scholarship, a deep understanding of ancient languages (especially Hebrew and Aramaic), and a nuanced appreciation of Jewish traditions during the Second Temple period. His linguistic expertise allowed him to provide authoritative translations of the Scrolls, bringing their meanings into clearer focus for scholars and lay readers alike. Vermes’ translations stand out for their clarity and accessibility, making the Scrolls comprehensible to a broad audience while retaining academic integrity.
Contextualization within Judaism: One of Vermes' major contributions was his insistence on placing the Dead Sea Scrolls firmly within the context of Jewish history and tradition, rather than viewing them through a purely Christian lens. He argued that the texts reflect the diverse religious thought in early Judaism, particularly the beliefs of a sectarian group that likely resided at Qumran near the Dead Sea. Vermes emphasized that the Scrolls reveal a rich variety of Jewish theological ideas, practices, and eschatological hopes, including messianic expectations, apocalyptic visions, and purity laws.
Relationship to Early Christianity: Vermes was among the first to explore the connections between the Dead Sea Scrolls and early Christianity, noting similarities in language, eschatology, and community practices between the Qumran sect and the early followers of Jesus. However, he cautioned against overly simplistic or direct correlations between the two. Instead, Vermes proposed that the Scrolls provide valuable insight into the broader Jewish milieu from which Christianity emerged, helping scholars better understand the complex religious environment of first-century Judea.
Balanced Interpretations: Vermes consistently advocated for a balanced approach to interpreting the Scrolls. He rejected sensationalist claims that sought to position the Scrolls as the "missing link" between Judaism and Christianity, or as texts that would radically alter religious understandings. His scholarly integrity led him to present the Scrolls as part of a broader tapestry of Jewish religious thought, rather than as documents with a singular or revolutionary message.
Impact on Scholarship and Public Understanding: Through his books, such as The Dead Sea Scrolls in English, Vermes made the Scrolls accessible to a wide audience, fostering both scholarly debate and public interest. His accessible writing style and commitment to rigorous scholarship helped bridge the gap between academic specialists and general readers, making the Scrolls a topic of broader cultural and religious significance.
In summary, Geza Vermes’ work on the Dead Sea Scrolls is invaluable for its clear and careful translation, its emphasis on the Jewish context of the texts, and its measured exploration of the Scrolls’ relationship to early Christianity. Vermes' legacy in this field lies in his balanced and nuanced approach, which continues to influence contemporary scholarship and public understanding of one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.
July 18, 2015
A fascinating book, but I could never pretend that this small-print 635 page compilation was an easy read. In places, the many passages of garbled text-even after methodical and time consuming translation still remain just that....garbled text-just esoteric, disconnected words that might as well have been randomly flung on to the paper, but just when you're about to give up, something magical surfaces…
For me, reading of Abram in a document that is nearly 2,000 years old, who speaks in the first person of being separated from his wife, and sobbing long into the night, because he believes the King of Egypt has taken her for his own wife, really struck me. The detail of him crying is not in the Bible account (Genesis XII:XIV-XX). Nor is the fact that they were separated for two years, while she became part of Pharoah's household. (Behind the textual narrative, the devil of course is trying to corrupt this precious messianic blood line by getting the King of Egypt to sleep with Sarai, but God intercedes on Abram's part by making all of Pharaoh's household sick.)
The account is taken from a scroll known as the Genesis Apocryphon, which turns out to be a mixture of many sources, but that scroll nevertheless is still 2,000 years old, and since the writers almost certainly had access to material that is no longer available, who's to say how truthful it is? The Bible doesn't contradict these details.
No one would argue, that the discovery of the dead sea scrolls in 1947 was one of the most important archaeological finds in history, and it has revised many peoples understanding of early Judaism, but it's content is so patchy. Having spent the last few weeks going through that patchy content, it made me feel sorry for some of the translators and their varied workload. While some were given the task of translating for instance, the copper scroll taken from cave 3, which describes in detail a list of hidden treasure, just how exciting is that?! Others I think were given the equivalent of fragments of badly spelt shopping lists on papyrus....'Yeah, you translate that, it's REALLY interesting. Honest. You'll enjoy that.' My heart went out to some of the translators.
It's generally believed that the group that these scrolls belonged to were the Essenes, but even that has been challenged in recent years. One section of this compilation-which incidentally is by no means 'complete' despite the title, concerns the community laws which this group, whichever group it actually was, created to bind together their society, and it consisted of some pretty strange rules! How about three months punishment for speaking foolishly? (Goodness, I'd be in trouble!) Or ten days punishment, for interrupting a companion whilst speaking…
As I said, a fascinating book.
For me, reading of Abram in a document that is nearly 2,000 years old, who speaks in the first person of being separated from his wife, and sobbing long into the night, because he believes the King of Egypt has taken her for his own wife, really struck me. The detail of him crying is not in the Bible account (Genesis XII:XIV-XX). Nor is the fact that they were separated for two years, while she became part of Pharoah's household. (Behind the textual narrative, the devil of course is trying to corrupt this precious messianic blood line by getting the King of Egypt to sleep with Sarai, but God intercedes on Abram's part by making all of Pharaoh's household sick.)
The account is taken from a scroll known as the Genesis Apocryphon, which turns out to be a mixture of many sources, but that scroll nevertheless is still 2,000 years old, and since the writers almost certainly had access to material that is no longer available, who's to say how truthful it is? The Bible doesn't contradict these details.
No one would argue, that the discovery of the dead sea scrolls in 1947 was one of the most important archaeological finds in history, and it has revised many peoples understanding of early Judaism, but it's content is so patchy. Having spent the last few weeks going through that patchy content, it made me feel sorry for some of the translators and their varied workload. While some were given the task of translating for instance, the copper scroll taken from cave 3, which describes in detail a list of hidden treasure, just how exciting is that?! Others I think were given the equivalent of fragments of badly spelt shopping lists on papyrus....'Yeah, you translate that, it's REALLY interesting. Honest. You'll enjoy that.' My heart went out to some of the translators.
It's generally believed that the group that these scrolls belonged to were the Essenes, but even that has been challenged in recent years. One section of this compilation-which incidentally is by no means 'complete' despite the title, concerns the community laws which this group, whichever group it actually was, created to bind together their society, and it consisted of some pretty strange rules! How about three months punishment for speaking foolishly? (Goodness, I'd be in trouble!) Or ten days punishment, for interrupting a companion whilst speaking…
As I said, a fascinating book.
February 9, 2017
The Dead Sea Scrolls: The Jewish religion of Christ
The Dead Sea Scrolls? What can I say about them?
In many parts, they are the words of YHWH as expressed by man. In many parts they are the Torah. So as a believer of God, I must reserve a certain awe, a certain respect. In the words of the translator of the Dead Sea Scrolls. An unbeliever will not understand this nor will they appreciate these scrolls.
O my God, hast sealed them all and there is none to open (them) … Does one measure by the hollow of a human hand the waters of the great (ocean)? Are [the heavens estimated by the span (of fingers)? In one third (of a measure)] can any contain the dust of the earth, and weigh the mountains in a balance, or the hills in scal[es]? Man did not make these. How can he measure the spirit of [God]? (Fragment 30 of the 511th scroll of the 4th Cave 4Q511 Fr 30)
What we have are the religious library of the Essene Jews occupying a religious or scholarly city of Qumran. These works were hidden in at least 11 caves in the vicinity of Qumran. So there are original copies of the Bible as known by the Jews in all of the three centuries before Christ, commentaries, peshers (interpretations there of,) and apochrophial works. These have been translated from Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek into English. Ostensibly, they were hidden to avoid there destruction by the Kittims: the Romans. There is a close relationship of Qumran to the Zealots of Masada.
This is not easy reading, no more easier than the Bible today. Much of the works are fragmentary as the scrolls have deteriorated with age and subsequent treatments. And yet the devotions of the Jews at the time of Christ has become vivid. But, if you are interested in what Jewry was like during the times of Jesus (Jesus was a Jew,) then there is no better place to study than these scrolls!
What you should gain are
the importance of the Covenants!
the importance of the distinction between clean and unclean
the importance and rituals of sacrifice
the order and rankings of the populace with respect to the religion
the interpretations of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible)
the respect for the prophets
Much of this, perhaps by the translations, is still hidden even from a scholarly reader. But one has a new perspective of the times of Christ from these scrolls.
The Dead Sea Scrolls? What can I say about them?
In many parts, they are the words of YHWH as expressed by man. In many parts they are the Torah. So as a believer of God, I must reserve a certain awe, a certain respect. In the words of the translator of the Dead Sea Scrolls. An unbeliever will not understand this nor will they appreciate these scrolls.
O my God, hast sealed them all and there is none to open (them) … Does one measure by the hollow of a human hand the waters of the great (ocean)? Are [the heavens estimated by the span (of fingers)? In one third (of a measure)] can any contain the dust of the earth, and weigh the mountains in a balance, or the hills in scal[es]? Man did not make these. How can he measure the spirit of [God]? (Fragment 30 of the 511th scroll of the 4th Cave 4Q511 Fr 30)
What we have are the religious library of the Essene Jews occupying a religious or scholarly city of Qumran. These works were hidden in at least 11 caves in the vicinity of Qumran. So there are original copies of the Bible as known by the Jews in all of the three centuries before Christ, commentaries, peshers (interpretations there of,) and apochrophial works. These have been translated from Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek into English. Ostensibly, they were hidden to avoid there destruction by the Kittims: the Romans. There is a close relationship of Qumran to the Zealots of Masada.
This is not easy reading, no more easier than the Bible today. Much of the works are fragmentary as the scrolls have deteriorated with age and subsequent treatments. And yet the devotions of the Jews at the time of Christ has become vivid. But, if you are interested in what Jewry was like during the times of Jesus (Jesus was a Jew,) then there is no better place to study than these scrolls!
What you should gain are
the importance of the Covenants!
the importance of the distinction between clean and unclean
the importance and rituals of sacrifice
the order and rankings of the populace with respect to the religion
the interpretations of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible)
the respect for the prophets
Much of this, perhaps by the translations, is still hidden even from a scholarly reader. But one has a new perspective of the times of Christ from these scrolls.
November 4, 2018
My score is, of course, for this edition, rather than the Scrolls themselves, which is a 5 star find. Vermes was, at one point, a leading DSS scholar. This edition was updated just before he died, in 2012. It is simultaneously helpful and frustrating. It is helpful because it opens with an account of the Scrolls discovery, and a brief analysis of some of the overlapping content. The translations are mostly well done and readable.
However, Vermes was one of the earliest Scrolls scholars, doing initial research on them shortly after their discovery, and he maintained, until he died, some traditional views on the Scrolls which have now become extremely outdated with newer analysis. Vermes was certainly aware of recent work, but he defends older views without giving a proper treatment to newer (and in my view more likely) accounts of important issues. For example, it was long held that certain compositions, such as the Damascus Document, the Community Rule, and the War Scroll, were sectarian and foundational to the Qumran sect. However, the relationship between these texts is now in question, and large portions of them are now widely regarded as nationalistic rather than sectarian. What's more, many aspects of the texts are likely not nearly as "foundational" as once believed. Vermes maintained the traditional views on this despite recent scholarship.
The translations are also based on a "composite" working of the manuscripts, and such a method flattens out vital aspects of the various manuscripts. Composite translations can be extremely misleading, but Vermes does not take note of the problems.
Overall, having a volume such as this is helpful, but it is in severe need of an update by a scholar more in tune with the changes in Scrolls research over the past 15 years.
However, Vermes was one of the earliest Scrolls scholars, doing initial research on them shortly after their discovery, and he maintained, until he died, some traditional views on the Scrolls which have now become extremely outdated with newer analysis. Vermes was certainly aware of recent work, but he defends older views without giving a proper treatment to newer (and in my view more likely) accounts of important issues. For example, it was long held that certain compositions, such as the Damascus Document, the Community Rule, and the War Scroll, were sectarian and foundational to the Qumran sect. However, the relationship between these texts is now in question, and large portions of them are now widely regarded as nationalistic rather than sectarian. What's more, many aspects of the texts are likely not nearly as "foundational" as once believed. Vermes maintained the traditional views on this despite recent scholarship.
The translations are also based on a "composite" working of the manuscripts, and such a method flattens out vital aspects of the various manuscripts. Composite translations can be extremely misleading, but Vermes does not take note of the problems.
Overall, having a volume such as this is helpful, but it is in severe need of an update by a scholar more in tune with the changes in Scrolls research over the past 15 years.
January 5, 2018
This was a very interesting book, and I am very happy to have read it. The edition I read (Folio Society) was also beautiful. The volume is an introduction and description of the Essenes, the people responsible for the dead sea scrolls, and provides a description of the scrolls themselves. Both aspects were tremendously interesting. For those who may be interested in reading the book, I would have the following warnings: First, the editor operates from a naturalistic/atheistic worldview; that is, he implicitly denies anything supernatural, such as prophecy. Thus, Daniel is assumed to be contemporary with the dead sea community, etc. The book only refers in passing to the many biblical books found in the dead sea scrolls, and highlights other writings that would be less familiar. What was disappointing to me is that that some non-biblical books (e.g. book of Enoch) that were found in the scrolls were only included in part, while other writing that I didn’t care about (e.g. the Temple Scroll, which was a repeat of the book of Leviticus) was included.
October 3, 2018
I read this a few years ago but from notes made at the time: I read the first article type bits of the book and then read a few of the translations and skimmed the rest as it was all the 'rule' of the Qumran order rather than alternate gospels etc which would've been more interesting.
As this is an old book published in 1962 I imagine knowledge has grown since then. I've read since that the scrolls were under tight ownership for a long time, and a full transcription was only issued in 1991. So that would explain why the book omits the more interesting aspects! Also, they were poorly stored at various times so have deteriorated quite a bit which doesn't help matters. Perhaps it would be worth reading a more recent study at some point.
As this is an old book published in 1962 I imagine knowledge has grown since then. I've read since that the scrolls were under tight ownership for a long time, and a full transcription was only issued in 1991. So that would explain why the book omits the more interesting aspects! Also, they were poorly stored at various times so have deteriorated quite a bit which doesn't help matters. Perhaps it would be worth reading a more recent study at some point.
October 23, 2018
The Prayer of Enosh and Enoch (4Q369) page 511
The Book of Enoch (4Q201-2, 204-12) and the book of Giants (1Q23-4, 2Q26, 4Q203, 530-33, 6Q8)
The Book of Enoch (4Q201-2, 204-12) and the book of Giants (1Q23-4, 2Q26, 4Q203, 530-33, 6Q8)
July 12, 2016
I will always respect the religion of others.We all bleed red.
December 28, 2024
Though Vermes had some good observations of the details throughout the Dead Sea scrolls and some historical insights, from a faithful perspective by either Jewish or Christian standards his theological beliefs and commentary throughout are thoroughly apostate. He says the idea of the resurrection is a man made invention that is only a metaphor in Ezekiel, he calls the new Covenant and his description of it (in the words of Deuteronomy not his own, a circumcision of the heart so we may be truly faithful to the Lord) a man made invention, and on and on. There is definitely some value in the observations of data and commentary, if you can handle the apostate theology and hyper skeptical textual critical approach to the text.
June 18, 2025
From the seed and sower of what you may profit from that seed … from secret locations of talents of gold and silver to the concept of hierarchy in Jewish culture priest then the wise then beneath is everyone else how god restores and blesses in sleep and the idea that not everyone is given wisdom or knowledge but to have said things is a blessing from the two distinct halves of humanity the children of darkness and of the light where the darkness is always trying to destroy those from light
October 23, 2025
The Dead Sea Scrolls,
1. In the spring of 1947 a young Arab shepherd climbed into a cave in the Judean desert and stumbled on the first Dead Sea Scrolls. The cave was located close to the Dead Sea, near Jerusalem.
1-A. Written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, the scrolls have transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism and the origins of Christianity.
2. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain prescriptions for operating a church or congregation.
3. II. The Community - We all live in a community. People have symbolic roles or jobs in the community. People also have certain responsibilities in the community.
4. These are, as may be seen, mostly the sort of recommendations to be expected of men devoting themselves to contemplation. A point to bear in mind, however, is that the contemplative life is not a regular feature of Judaism.
5. The hierarchy at Qumran was strict and formal, from the highest level to the lowest.
6. The highest office was vested in the person of the Guardian, known also, it would seem, as the 'Master'. The Community was to be taught by him how to live in conformity with the 'Book of the Community Rule', and to be instructed by him in the doctrine of the 'two spirits'. He was to preside over assemblies, giving leave to speak to those wishing to do so. He was to assess, in concert with the brethren, the spiritual progress of the men in his charge and rank them accordingly. And negatively, he was not to dispute with 'the men of the Pit' and not to transmit to them the sect's teachings.
7. In Judaism as represented by the Mishnah, the priest is superior to the Levite, the Levite to the Israelite, and the Israelite to the 'ruffian.' But the priestly precedence is conditional. If the 'ruffian' is a man of learning, we are told, and the High Priest an uneducated 'boor', 'the ruffian...precedes the High Priest.'
8. The purpose of the meetings of the twelve tribes and three Levitical clans is clear. It was to debate the Law, to discuss their current business, to select or reject newcomers under the guidance of the Guardian, to hear charges against offenders and to conduct a yearly inquiry into the progress of every sectary, promoting or demoting them in rank, again under the Guardian's supervision.
9. During their sessions, order and quiet were to prevail.
10. Omitted.
11. There were laws against a Jew stealing from a non-Jew.
12. The history of religions furnishes scores of examples of sister sects which turned into mortal enemies.
13. Determine the reasons why the sister sects split from the main branch.
14. Drawing the threads of these various arguments together, there would seem to be little doubt not only that the desert and town sectaries were united in doctrine and organization, but that they remained in actual and regular touch with each other, under the ultimate administrative and spiritual authority of the shadowy figure of the Priest, of whom we hear so little...
15. Determine the differences between the different sister sects of a religion.
16. Many people have tried to record history, but for some, the focus is not on historical events themselves, but on their religious significance.
17. As may be remembered, the superior at Qumran was required to be expert in recognizing’the nature of all the children of men according to the kind of spirit which they possess.’
1. At the last judgement, predicts the Commentary, the Wicked Priest will empty 'the cup of wrath of God.' His successors, the 'last Priests of Jerusalem', are also charged with amassing 'money and wealth by plundering the peoples,' i.e. foreigners.
2. It seems to designate here as in rabbinic literature ritually pure food, as well as the vessels and utensils in which it is contained or cooked.
3. "He was not, in effect, to attend the common table and had to eat elsewhere."
4. Many historians focus less on the dates and specific locations of historical events, and more on the meaning and symbolism of the events.
5. During one event in Qumran history "...in Daniel, they humiliate the enemy of the Jews."
6. In the Habakkuk Commentary, "Feared and admired by all, they are seen to be on the point of defeating the 'last Priests of Jerusalem' and confiscating their wealth, as they have done to many others before. Such a representation of a victorious and advancing might would hardly apply to the Greek Seleucids of Syria, who by the second half of the second century BCE were in grave decline."
7. It is also worth noting that the 'Kittim' of the War Scroll, the final opponents of the eschatological Israel, are subject to a king or emperor (melekh).
8. eschatology - the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind.
9. "For although biblical names are often used symbolically, including that of 'Israel,' the actions attributed to the 'Wicked Priest' make little sense if the person in question did not exercise both pontifical and secular power."
10. "The war with the Romans tried their souls through and through by every variety of test. Racked and twisted, burned and broken...they refused to yield to either demand, nor ever once did they cringe to their persecutors or shed a tear."
11. View religion as "a path to holiness walked in obedience to God's commandments."
12. ...persuaded them to remember their Covenant with God with solemn vows of repentance and national rededication; but the promises were usually short-lived.
13. Cautions congregations against sliding into "mere religious formalism."
14. Election and Holy Life in the Community of the Covenant
15. "The aim of a holy life lived within the Covenant was to seek out the secrets of heaven in this world and to stand before God for ever in the next."
16. To judge from the many references to it, the time element both calendric and horary was crucial.
17. The laws of purity were also assuredly essential to the sect, and some practical guidance is given. The dietary laws are dealt with in the Damascus Document and the Temple Scroll. For instance, the eating of 'live creatures' (e.g. larvae of bees, fish and locusts) is declared to be prohibited.
18. Omitted.
19. Omitted.
20. Perfume in excess violates hygeine standards.
21. Priests had to adhere to a strict moral code.
22. Certain activities between husband and wife were prohibited.
23. Using biblical models as vehicles for their own convictions, the Teacher of Righteousness and the Community's sages projected an image of the future which is elaborate and colorful, but which cannot always be fully comprehended by us, partly because some of the associations escape us, and partly because of gaps in the extant texts. They foresaw in their Community's story the fulfilment of the prophetic expectations concerning the salvation of the righteous.
24. Omitted.
25. The Priest was to be the final teacher, he was also to preside over battle liturgy and the eschatological banquet.
26. This is the rule for an Assembly of the Congregation - Each man shall sit in his place: the Priests shall sit first, and the elders second, and all the rest of the people according to their rank. No man shall interrupt a companion before his speech has ended, nor speak before a man of higher rank; each man shall speak in his turn. And no man shall speak without the consent of the Congregation. If they let him speak after he asks, he shall speak.
27. These are the Rules by which they shall judge at a Community (Court of) Inquiry according to the cases.
28. Entry into the Covenant - And the Guardian will come, and the elders with him until...and they shall enter by geneology.
29. The Priests are converts of Israel who departed from the land of Judah, and (the Levites are) those who joined them.
30. No man that approaches them shall be free from guilt; the more he does so, the guiltier shall he be.
31. God remembered the Covenant, and he raised men of discernment and men of wisdom.
1. “Marriage was according to the customs of the law.”
2. “Some behavior is inappropriate for a church.”
3. “You should discuss your life — your past, your problems and your goals with your priest.”
4. The priest shall examine every man entering his Congregation with regard to his deeds, understanding, strength, and ability.
5. The priest ensures that the sick members are visited in the hospital.
6. A man shall be given a job in proportion to his strength.
7. No child or woman shall enter the army, nor shall anyone who is disabled.
1. A man shall not take his father’s wife or wives, for this is immoral.
2. Self defense - you can defend yourself, but you can’t use self defense as an excuse to cause excessive harm to someone.
3. If a dog bites a man by accident, then it’s okay, but if it’s a vicious dog, then it’s a problem.
4. It’s immoral for family members to sleep with each other.
5. The strong shall not harm the weak.
1. The calendar of the congregation is unremarkable and similar to a normal annual calendar.
2. “Don’t be silly, or vain, or foolish, and be respectful.”
3. Learn to put a lock on your lips and don’t talk so much.
4. One biblical scholar wrote over 1,000 hymns, and published over 100 essays.
5. “Do not rush to answer a question, but patiently wait your turn and consider an understanding response.”
6. “A twisted man thinks in a twisted way.”
7. There are public health standards that a congregation must follow.
8. When the woman is pregnant, the couple must refrain from certain behaviors.
1. As children of the Lord, we should only think good thoughts.
2. It is our duty to share our knowledge with the world.
3. "He has circumcised the foreskin of their heart, And has delivered them because of his kindness."
4. He has placed before you two paths, one which is good and one which is evil. If you choose the good path, you will be blessed, but if you choose the evil path, you will be cursed.
5. My goal is to establish the righteous way of life.
6. And God has placed in my heart, the spirit of knowledge and understanding, truth and righteousness.
7. Out of a shape of clay I was moulded and from darkness I was kneaded.
8. Do not go to the abysses and the dark places of the earth.
9. They shall be his priests, his righteous people, his host, servants, the angels of his glory.
1. Blessed is...with a pure heart
and does not slander with his tongue.
He directs his heart towards her ways,
and restrains himself by her corrections,
and always takes delight in her chastisements.
2. He will fill your days with good and you will walk in great peace...
you will inherit glory.
And you will end up in the eternal resting place.
3. Do not pour out your thoughts before you have
heard their words...greatly.
First listen to their utterance and afterwards answer
With long-suffering express them and answer correctly among princes.
4. Indicates the presence of a saviour, who has come to help the people.
5. God heard the voice of Job and forgave them their sins because of him.
6. Some foods are forbidden according to Scripture; some foods should not be eaten.
7. And that which you did see, namely that part of their branch of the first, I explained to him the mystery...And that you did see all of them...they will go around, the majority of them will be wicked. And that which you did see, namely that a man came from the south of the land.
8. Some things on earth are the acts of God.
9. I journeyed along the Euphrates until I came to the Red Sea (Persian Gulf) in the east, and I travelled along the coast of the Red Sea until I came to the tongue of the Sea of Reeds (the modern Red Sea) which flows out from the Red Sea.
10. The Dead Sea Scrolls includes biblical interpretation, or passages from the Bible that are read and then interpreted so that they can be understood for symbolic and moral value.
11. Commentaries on Hosea - Interpreted, this means that he smote them with hunger and nakedness that they might be shamed and disgraced in the sight of the nations on which they relied. They will not deliver them from their miseries.
12. For I will be like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. - Its intepretation concerns the last Priest who shall stretch out his hand to strike Ephraim.
13. But they, like Adam, have broken the covenant. - Its intepretation, they have forsaken God and walked according to the decrees of the Gentiles.
14. Sometimes life is not as smooth as we want it to be.
15. The bible cites several instances of man's nakedness and woman's nakedness.
16. There is quarrelling and contention.
17. They scoff at kings, and princes are their laughing-stock. - Interpreted, this means that they mock the great and despise the venerable; they ridicule kings and princes and scoff at the mighty host.
18. The Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill. And their goods shall be plundered and their houses laid waste.
19. The lord knows the days of the perfect and their portion shall be for ever. In evil times they shall not be shamed.
20. And those who love the Lord shall be like the pride of pastures. Interpreted, this concerns the congregation of His elect, who shall be leaders and princes...of the flock among their herds.
21. The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom and his tongue speaks justice. The law of God is in his heart.
22. My heart is astir with a good word. My heart wants to do good.
23. Mark the blameless man and behold the upright, for there is posterity for the man of peace.
24. This is the time of which it is written in the book of Daniel the Prophet: But the wicked shall do wickedly and shall not understand, but the righteous shall purify themselves and make themselves white. The people who know God shall be strong.
25. Let no man's garment be worn by a woman, and let no woman's garment be worn by a man.
26. Creditors should be kind toward their debtors.
27. The pseude...known prior to Qumran from a complete Ethiopic and partial Greek, Latin and Syrian translations, has for the first time surfaced in a large number of mostly small nearly extant fragments in its Hebrew original in five Qumran caves.
28. For I know the mysteries of the Lord which the holy ones have explained and showed me and which I read in the heavenly tablets. And I saw written in them that one generation after another will do evil in this way, and evil will last until generations of righteousness arise and evil and wickedness shall end and violence shall cease from the earth and good shall come on the earth.
29. The sun rises and darkness comes and then there is night. Then the sun rises and darkness comes and this is the second night....Then the sun rises and darkness comes and this is the seventh night, and the earth proceeds in this way.
30. Behold the Ruler of heaven descended to earth and thrones were set and the Holy One sat. Thousands and thousands stood before Him. And behold, books were opened and judgement signed. And the Great one reigns over all the living and all those who rule.
31. Words of the Archangel Michael - The dream...Words of the book which Michael addressed to the angels...He said: I found there divisions of fire, and I saw there nine mountains: two to the east, and two to the west, and two to the north and two to the south. I saw there the angel Gabriel...like a vision. Then I showed him the vision. And he said to me, in the books of my Master, the Lord of the world, it is written: Behold, between the sons of Ham and the sons of Shem.
32. The Testament of Levi - Then I raised my eyes and face towards heaven and opened my mouth and spoke, and I prayed and said, Lord, Thou knowest every heart, Thou alone knowest all the thoughts of the heart...
33. The chief of all your deeds shall be truth, and it shall be with you for ever. Righteousness and truth...you will bring in a blessed harvest.
34. Sprinkle the blood of a sacrifice on your body. Then wash your hands of it, then wash your neck of it, then wash your legs of it, then wash your feet of it.
35. His word is like a word of heaven, and his teaching is according to the will of God.
36. Humour is okay, but don't be so foolish that people despise you.
37. 'You are thirty years old.' And he gave a banquet lasting seven days...Then, when the days of the wedding feast came to an end, everything returned to normal.
38. Gather together all the congregation and go up to Mount Nebo and stand there, you and Eleazar son of Aaron. Interpret to the heads of family of the Levites and to all the Priests, the words of the law which I proclaimed to you on Mount Sinai.
39. "Partying is okay, but too much partying is bad." --The Words of Moses
40. You will do all that your God has commanded you from the mouth of the prophet.
41. Let them be gathered, to Thy people and be a help to it and raise it, and deliver their feet from muddy clay and establish for them a rock from of old, for Thy praise is over all the peoples.
42. An Elisha Apocryphon - And Elisha went up. The spirit of Elijah rests over Elisha.
43. A Zedekiah Apocryphon - ...Michael...Zedekiah shall enter into a covenant on that day...to practise and to cause all the Torah to be practised.
1. With your heart and with all your soul do righteousness.
Then he will turn to you.
2. And the Lord said to me, 'I will not turn away your face, Ezekiel. Behold, I will shorten the days and the years, a little, as you have said to me. For the Lord has spoken these words.'
3. List of False Prophets - The lying prophets who arose in Israel: Balaam son of Beor; the elder from Bethel; Zedekiah son of Kenaanah; Ahab son of Koliah; Zedekiah son of Maaseiah; Shemiaah the Nehlemite.
4. Come together, a bone to its bone, a bit to its bit. Prophesy, and let sinews come on them, and let skin spread over above them.
5. And he Raphael ascended, and they saw him no more. And they were blessing and extolling God and giving thanks for his great deed and wondered how an angel of God had appeared to them.
6. There is peace and quiet. The earth is as it was in the days of old.
7. The end.
8. Please visit my blog, www.scholarlyinformation.com for more university-level book reviews, food ideas, and more.
Thank you,
🌹🌹Toren Spencer-Gray
1. In the spring of 1947 a young Arab shepherd climbed into a cave in the Judean desert and stumbled on the first Dead Sea Scrolls. The cave was located close to the Dead Sea, near Jerusalem.
1-A. Written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, the scrolls have transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism and the origins of Christianity.
2. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain prescriptions for operating a church or congregation.
3. II. The Community - We all live in a community. People have symbolic roles or jobs in the community. People also have certain responsibilities in the community.
4. These are, as may be seen, mostly the sort of recommendations to be expected of men devoting themselves to contemplation. A point to bear in mind, however, is that the contemplative life is not a regular feature of Judaism.
5. The hierarchy at Qumran was strict and formal, from the highest level to the lowest.
6. The highest office was vested in the person of the Guardian, known also, it would seem, as the 'Master'. The Community was to be taught by him how to live in conformity with the 'Book of the Community Rule', and to be instructed by him in the doctrine of the 'two spirits'. He was to preside over assemblies, giving leave to speak to those wishing to do so. He was to assess, in concert with the brethren, the spiritual progress of the men in his charge and rank them accordingly. And negatively, he was not to dispute with 'the men of the Pit' and not to transmit to them the sect's teachings.
7. In Judaism as represented by the Mishnah, the priest is superior to the Levite, the Levite to the Israelite, and the Israelite to the 'ruffian.' But the priestly precedence is conditional. If the 'ruffian' is a man of learning, we are told, and the High Priest an uneducated 'boor', 'the ruffian...precedes the High Priest.'
8. The purpose of the meetings of the twelve tribes and three Levitical clans is clear. It was to debate the Law, to discuss their current business, to select or reject newcomers under the guidance of the Guardian, to hear charges against offenders and to conduct a yearly inquiry into the progress of every sectary, promoting or demoting them in rank, again under the Guardian's supervision.
9. During their sessions, order and quiet were to prevail.
10. Omitted.
11. There were laws against a Jew stealing from a non-Jew.
12. The history of religions furnishes scores of examples of sister sects which turned into mortal enemies.
13. Determine the reasons why the sister sects split from the main branch.
14. Drawing the threads of these various arguments together, there would seem to be little doubt not only that the desert and town sectaries were united in doctrine and organization, but that they remained in actual and regular touch with each other, under the ultimate administrative and spiritual authority of the shadowy figure of the Priest, of whom we hear so little...
15. Determine the differences between the different sister sects of a religion.
16. Many people have tried to record history, but for some, the focus is not on historical events themselves, but on their religious significance.
17. As may be remembered, the superior at Qumran was required to be expert in recognizing’the nature of all the children of men according to the kind of spirit which they possess.’
1. At the last judgement, predicts the Commentary, the Wicked Priest will empty 'the cup of wrath of God.' His successors, the 'last Priests of Jerusalem', are also charged with amassing 'money and wealth by plundering the peoples,' i.e. foreigners.
2. It seems to designate here as in rabbinic literature ritually pure food, as well as the vessels and utensils in which it is contained or cooked.
3. "He was not, in effect, to attend the common table and had to eat elsewhere."
4. Many historians focus less on the dates and specific locations of historical events, and more on the meaning and symbolism of the events.
5. During one event in Qumran history "...in Daniel, they humiliate the enemy of the Jews."
6. In the Habakkuk Commentary, "Feared and admired by all, they are seen to be on the point of defeating the 'last Priests of Jerusalem' and confiscating their wealth, as they have done to many others before. Such a representation of a victorious and advancing might would hardly apply to the Greek Seleucids of Syria, who by the second half of the second century BCE were in grave decline."
7. It is also worth noting that the 'Kittim' of the War Scroll, the final opponents of the eschatological Israel, are subject to a king or emperor (melekh).
8. eschatology - the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind.
9. "For although biblical names are often used symbolically, including that of 'Israel,' the actions attributed to the 'Wicked Priest' make little sense if the person in question did not exercise both pontifical and secular power."
10. "The war with the Romans tried their souls through and through by every variety of test. Racked and twisted, burned and broken...they refused to yield to either demand, nor ever once did they cringe to their persecutors or shed a tear."
11. View religion as "a path to holiness walked in obedience to God's commandments."
12. ...persuaded them to remember their Covenant with God with solemn vows of repentance and national rededication; but the promises were usually short-lived.
13. Cautions congregations against sliding into "mere religious formalism."
14. Election and Holy Life in the Community of the Covenant
15. "The aim of a holy life lived within the Covenant was to seek out the secrets of heaven in this world and to stand before God for ever in the next."
16. To judge from the many references to it, the time element both calendric and horary was crucial.
17. The laws of purity were also assuredly essential to the sect, and some practical guidance is given. The dietary laws are dealt with in the Damascus Document and the Temple Scroll. For instance, the eating of 'live creatures' (e.g. larvae of bees, fish and locusts) is declared to be prohibited.
18. Omitted.
19. Omitted.
20. Perfume in excess violates hygeine standards.
21. Priests had to adhere to a strict moral code.
22. Certain activities between husband and wife were prohibited.
23. Using biblical models as vehicles for their own convictions, the Teacher of Righteousness and the Community's sages projected an image of the future which is elaborate and colorful, but which cannot always be fully comprehended by us, partly because some of the associations escape us, and partly because of gaps in the extant texts. They foresaw in their Community's story the fulfilment of the prophetic expectations concerning the salvation of the righteous.
24. Omitted.
25. The Priest was to be the final teacher, he was also to preside over battle liturgy and the eschatological banquet.
26. This is the rule for an Assembly of the Congregation - Each man shall sit in his place: the Priests shall sit first, and the elders second, and all the rest of the people according to their rank. No man shall interrupt a companion before his speech has ended, nor speak before a man of higher rank; each man shall speak in his turn. And no man shall speak without the consent of the Congregation. If they let him speak after he asks, he shall speak.
27. These are the Rules by which they shall judge at a Community (Court of) Inquiry according to the cases.
28. Entry into the Covenant - And the Guardian will come, and the elders with him until...and they shall enter by geneology.
29. The Priests are converts of Israel who departed from the land of Judah, and (the Levites are) those who joined them.
30. No man that approaches them shall be free from guilt; the more he does so, the guiltier shall he be.
31. God remembered the Covenant, and he raised men of discernment and men of wisdom.
1. “Marriage was according to the customs of the law.”
2. “Some behavior is inappropriate for a church.”
3. “You should discuss your life — your past, your problems and your goals with your priest.”
4. The priest shall examine every man entering his Congregation with regard to his deeds, understanding, strength, and ability.
5. The priest ensures that the sick members are visited in the hospital.
6. A man shall be given a job in proportion to his strength.
7. No child or woman shall enter the army, nor shall anyone who is disabled.
1. A man shall not take his father’s wife or wives, for this is immoral.
2. Self defense - you can defend yourself, but you can’t use self defense as an excuse to cause excessive harm to someone.
3. If a dog bites a man by accident, then it’s okay, but if it’s a vicious dog, then it’s a problem.
4. It’s immoral for family members to sleep with each other.
5. The strong shall not harm the weak.
1. The calendar of the congregation is unremarkable and similar to a normal annual calendar.
2. “Don’t be silly, or vain, or foolish, and be respectful.”
3. Learn to put a lock on your lips and don’t talk so much.
4. One biblical scholar wrote over 1,000 hymns, and published over 100 essays.
5. “Do not rush to answer a question, but patiently wait your turn and consider an understanding response.”
6. “A twisted man thinks in a twisted way.”
7. There are public health standards that a congregation must follow.
8. When the woman is pregnant, the couple must refrain from certain behaviors.
1. As children of the Lord, we should only think good thoughts.
2. It is our duty to share our knowledge with the world.
3. "He has circumcised the foreskin of their heart, And has delivered them because of his kindness."
4. He has placed before you two paths, one which is good and one which is evil. If you choose the good path, you will be blessed, but if you choose the evil path, you will be cursed.
5. My goal is to establish the righteous way of life.
6. And God has placed in my heart, the spirit of knowledge and understanding, truth and righteousness.
7. Out of a shape of clay I was moulded and from darkness I was kneaded.
8. Do not go to the abysses and the dark places of the earth.
9. They shall be his priests, his righteous people, his host, servants, the angels of his glory.
1. Blessed is...with a pure heart
and does not slander with his tongue.
He directs his heart towards her ways,
and restrains himself by her corrections,
and always takes delight in her chastisements.
2. He will fill your days with good and you will walk in great peace...
you will inherit glory.
And you will end up in the eternal resting place.
3. Do not pour out your thoughts before you have
heard their words...greatly.
First listen to their utterance and afterwards answer
With long-suffering express them and answer correctly among princes.
4. Indicates the presence of a saviour, who has come to help the people.
5. God heard the voice of Job and forgave them their sins because of him.
6. Some foods are forbidden according to Scripture; some foods should not be eaten.
7. And that which you did see, namely that part of their branch of the first, I explained to him the mystery...And that you did see all of them...they will go around, the majority of them will be wicked. And that which you did see, namely that a man came from the south of the land.
8. Some things on earth are the acts of God.
9. I journeyed along the Euphrates until I came to the Red Sea (Persian Gulf) in the east, and I travelled along the coast of the Red Sea until I came to the tongue of the Sea of Reeds (the modern Red Sea) which flows out from the Red Sea.
10. The Dead Sea Scrolls includes biblical interpretation, or passages from the Bible that are read and then interpreted so that they can be understood for symbolic and moral value.
11. Commentaries on Hosea - Interpreted, this means that he smote them with hunger and nakedness that they might be shamed and disgraced in the sight of the nations on which they relied. They will not deliver them from their miseries.
12. For I will be like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. - Its intepretation concerns the last Priest who shall stretch out his hand to strike Ephraim.
13. But they, like Adam, have broken the covenant. - Its intepretation, they have forsaken God and walked according to the decrees of the Gentiles.
14. Sometimes life is not as smooth as we want it to be.
15. The bible cites several instances of man's nakedness and woman's nakedness.
16. There is quarrelling and contention.
17. They scoff at kings, and princes are their laughing-stock. - Interpreted, this means that they mock the great and despise the venerable; they ridicule kings and princes and scoff at the mighty host.
18. The Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill. And their goods shall be plundered and their houses laid waste.
19. The lord knows the days of the perfect and their portion shall be for ever. In evil times they shall not be shamed.
20. And those who love the Lord shall be like the pride of pastures. Interpreted, this concerns the congregation of His elect, who shall be leaders and princes...of the flock among their herds.
21. The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom and his tongue speaks justice. The law of God is in his heart.
22. My heart is astir with a good word. My heart wants to do good.
23. Mark the blameless man and behold the upright, for there is posterity for the man of peace.
24. This is the time of which it is written in the book of Daniel the Prophet: But the wicked shall do wickedly and shall not understand, but the righteous shall purify themselves and make themselves white. The people who know God shall be strong.
25. Let no man's garment be worn by a woman, and let no woman's garment be worn by a man.
26. Creditors should be kind toward their debtors.
27. The pseude...known prior to Qumran from a complete Ethiopic and partial Greek, Latin and Syrian translations, has for the first time surfaced in a large number of mostly small nearly extant fragments in its Hebrew original in five Qumran caves.
28. For I know the mysteries of the Lord which the holy ones have explained and showed me and which I read in the heavenly tablets. And I saw written in them that one generation after another will do evil in this way, and evil will last until generations of righteousness arise and evil and wickedness shall end and violence shall cease from the earth and good shall come on the earth.
29. The sun rises and darkness comes and then there is night. Then the sun rises and darkness comes and this is the second night....Then the sun rises and darkness comes and this is the seventh night, and the earth proceeds in this way.
30. Behold the Ruler of heaven descended to earth and thrones were set and the Holy One sat. Thousands and thousands stood before Him. And behold, books were opened and judgement signed. And the Great one reigns over all the living and all those who rule.
31. Words of the Archangel Michael - The dream...Words of the book which Michael addressed to the angels...He said: I found there divisions of fire, and I saw there nine mountains: two to the east, and two to the west, and two to the north and two to the south. I saw there the angel Gabriel...like a vision. Then I showed him the vision. And he said to me, in the books of my Master, the Lord of the world, it is written: Behold, between the sons of Ham and the sons of Shem.
32. The Testament of Levi - Then I raised my eyes and face towards heaven and opened my mouth and spoke, and I prayed and said, Lord, Thou knowest every heart, Thou alone knowest all the thoughts of the heart...
33. The chief of all your deeds shall be truth, and it shall be with you for ever. Righteousness and truth...you will bring in a blessed harvest.
34. Sprinkle the blood of a sacrifice on your body. Then wash your hands of it, then wash your neck of it, then wash your legs of it, then wash your feet of it.
35. His word is like a word of heaven, and his teaching is according to the will of God.
36. Humour is okay, but don't be so foolish that people despise you.
37. 'You are thirty years old.' And he gave a banquet lasting seven days...Then, when the days of the wedding feast came to an end, everything returned to normal.
38. Gather together all the congregation and go up to Mount Nebo and stand there, you and Eleazar son of Aaron. Interpret to the heads of family of the Levites and to all the Priests, the words of the law which I proclaimed to you on Mount Sinai.
39. "Partying is okay, but too much partying is bad." --The Words of Moses
40. You will do all that your God has commanded you from the mouth of the prophet.
41. Let them be gathered, to Thy people and be a help to it and raise it, and deliver their feet from muddy clay and establish for them a rock from of old, for Thy praise is over all the peoples.
42. An Elisha Apocryphon - And Elisha went up. The spirit of Elijah rests over Elisha.
43. A Zedekiah Apocryphon - ...Michael...Zedekiah shall enter into a covenant on that day...to practise and to cause all the Torah to be practised.
1. With your heart and with all your soul do righteousness.
Then he will turn to you.
2. And the Lord said to me, 'I will not turn away your face, Ezekiel. Behold, I will shorten the days and the years, a little, as you have said to me. For the Lord has spoken these words.'
3. List of False Prophets - The lying prophets who arose in Israel: Balaam son of Beor; the elder from Bethel; Zedekiah son of Kenaanah; Ahab son of Koliah; Zedekiah son of Maaseiah; Shemiaah the Nehlemite.
4. Come together, a bone to its bone, a bit to its bit. Prophesy, and let sinews come on them, and let skin spread over above them.
5. And he Raphael ascended, and they saw him no more. And they were blessing and extolling God and giving thanks for his great deed and wondered how an angel of God had appeared to them.
6. There is peace and quiet. The earth is as it was in the days of old.
7. The end.
8. Please visit my blog, www.scholarlyinformation.com for more university-level book reviews, food ideas, and more.
Thank you,
🌹🌹Toren Spencer-Gray
July 5, 2023
Difficult to write a review for such a thing. It was an interesting read and fascinating to read such old and important writings.
December 10, 2013
A fantastic handy book to have that makes for an excellent collection of primary sources, Vermes does an excellent job with this compilation of the Dead Sea Scrolls, as he translates them into English.
Although certain texts are not translated, and various parts that are ambiguous are left untouched, this makes for a more accurate representation of the actual fragments that were found in the Qumran caves in 1946-47.
What I've found most interesting is some of the testimony of the Patriarchs, as well as the apocryphons. Various themes can be exegeted that are in stride with many of the essenes' understanding of eschatology. For instance, the idea of a Priestly messiah of Levi - contrary to the idea of the Davidic Messiah - is quite amazing. Especially the communities emphasis on the priests of Zadok, and a Zadokian deliverer.
Other fascinating texts such as the Book of Giants, and various homilies and praises can be as historically rewarding as they are personally edifying. Moreover, commentaries on various books in the Tanakh make for amazing insight into the communal mind as they labored over the Inspired Scripture, waiting for their deliverance.
For the historical religious scholar, to the lay-Christian, this is a collection worth picking up.
Brent McCulley
Although certain texts are not translated, and various parts that are ambiguous are left untouched, this makes for a more accurate representation of the actual fragments that were found in the Qumran caves in 1946-47.
What I've found most interesting is some of the testimony of the Patriarchs, as well as the apocryphons. Various themes can be exegeted that are in stride with many of the essenes' understanding of eschatology. For instance, the idea of a Priestly messiah of Levi - contrary to the idea of the Davidic Messiah - is quite amazing. Especially the communities emphasis on the priests of Zadok, and a Zadokian deliverer.
Other fascinating texts such as the Book of Giants, and various homilies and praises can be as historically rewarding as they are personally edifying. Moreover, commentaries on various books in the Tanakh make for amazing insight into the communal mind as they labored over the Inspired Scripture, waiting for their deliverance.
For the historical religious scholar, to the lay-Christian, this is a collection worth picking up.
Brent McCulley
July 7, 2011
Picked up this little ripper of a primary source (at least as primary as you can get in english) for a scant $12! Have only read bits and pieces before so it's nice to get a larger collection. It should be mentioned that this is by no means complete. In fact, my edition is an earlier one than this printed in 1973 that has even less. No Book of Enoch and no Gospel of Thomas in either. I may be mistaken but I had thought that these texts were discovered in the same complex, along with a complete version of the Torah. Much of this work was untranslated at the time of publication and much remains so to this day. It would be wonderful to access to a complete english translation, especially for the purposes of comparison with the Torah.
Nonetheless this appears to have some wonderful material including the Temple Scroll and the War Scroll, both of which give amazing details of life in the ancient near east. Will post pertinent details as I sift through it :)
Nonetheless this appears to have some wonderful material including the Temple Scroll and the War Scroll, both of which give amazing details of life in the ancient near east. Will post pertinent details as I sift through it :)
September 22, 2017
Well, this took me a long time to get through! It's a much more comprehensive edition than the 1950s John Allegro version I read years ago, and it's filled with detailed notes about the Essenes and the scrolls themselves.
I wasn't much interested in the hymns or even the Biblical variants. My interest was much more in the scrolls detailing their way of life, covering everything from the type of sacrifices to be performed and purification rituals to their relationships with outsiders and their vision of a religious war.
I have to admit, I found the Essenes themselves pretty repulsive. They seem to have been total religious bigots, and their view of a goodly life certainly doesn't square with mine. However, it was interesting to think that this was the world in which Jesus was flourishing: his message of brotherhood and caring was very different to that of other religious sects of the time.
I wasn't much interested in the hymns or even the Biblical variants. My interest was much more in the scrolls detailing their way of life, covering everything from the type of sacrifices to be performed and purification rituals to their relationships with outsiders and their vision of a religious war.
I have to admit, I found the Essenes themselves pretty repulsive. They seem to have been total religious bigots, and their view of a goodly life certainly doesn't square with mine. However, it was interesting to think that this was the world in which Jesus was flourishing: his message of brotherhood and caring was very different to that of other religious sects of the time.
March 30, 2011
This was something that I bought when I had decided I wanted to read my way through things like this, and then by the time it came round to actually reading it I didn't feel quite as enthused. BUT, although it certainly wasn't "reading for pleasure" for me, I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that it wasn't as difficult to read or as boring as I was anticipating. Bits of it are in fact really fascinating! Definitely an insight into how the Bible was interpreted in its original format long ago...
Obviously its fragmented nature makes it quite difficult to follow at times, and this can be frustrating, but overall it's worth getting stuck in to.
Obviously its fragmented nature makes it quite difficult to follow at times, and this can be frustrating, but overall it's worth getting stuck in to.
March 18, 2016
A lot more rules and restrictions but completely worth the read. Thoroughly translated by experts in the field. It should be on your "to read" list if you want to have a true understanding of what early Judaism was like and to have any serious discussion about early Christianity. The only thing about this version is that if you’re going to reference from it then becomes rather tricky. One paragraph with only three lines will be sited as "1" and the next paragraph will be sited as "15" so be careful
December 26, 2014
This volume was easy to read with large print. Vermes gives an introduction to each text. Many of the dates for the the texts are speculative, so I advise reading Josephus prior to reading the scrolls so you have an understanding of the historical time period. Also, Robert Eisenman's James the Brother of Jesus is a good book to read before tackling the Scrolls. I found studying the scrolls to be very rewarding, especially the thanksgiving hymns and the interpretations of Biblical passages.
March 15, 2012
The day that I finished reading this book, Discover Magazine ran an article announcing that the digitized scrolls and translations will be online soon.
Well organized, easy to navigate, and a helpful introduction. Further research elsewhere is needed for anyone interested in alternate proposals regarding scroll authorship. Overall, dry reading. Recommended for those interested in Second Temple Judaism.
Well organized, easy to navigate, and a helpful introduction. Further research elsewhere is needed for anyone interested in alternate proposals regarding scroll authorship. Overall, dry reading. Recommended for those interested in Second Temple Judaism.
September 1, 2016
Not a good introductory text! Make sure you're willing to Wikipedia a bunch of sects, medieval history, and terms (speaking as someone completely new to this subject).
It's interesting to see how strict the Essenes were about "purity" and rules, but exhaustive lists make for boring reading. I mostly focused on reading the introductions and explanations of the text than the text itself. I think my favourite part was the "horoscopes".
It's interesting to see how strict the Essenes were about "purity" and rules, but exhaustive lists make for boring reading. I mostly focused on reading the introductions and explanations of the text than the text itself. I think my favourite part was the "horoscopes".
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October 13, 2011It is had to rate a book like this. It was interesting. I was grateful for all comments made by Vermes. Much of the book was a little like reading Leviticus. The Thanksgiving Hymns were enjoyable. I do like giving thanks. A of the text was to fragments for me to catch the vision of what was truly meant.
May 31, 2014
This is an English translation of the Qumran/Dead Sea Scrolls. The scrolls give a unique view into the life and beliefs of the Jewish people. The fragments talk about everything from how a military camp should be laid out to discussions about the prophets and kings. Of course the legendary copper scroll is covered. It makes for a great treasure list. ;)
October 20, 2008
As a whole, I thought the book was quite dry. I was, kinda, sorta, maybe, waiting for the book to end at times. My favorite parts included a modests history of the Pharacees and Sadducees. I also appreciated the explanation of how John Macabee's line took charge of temple responsibilities.
September 24, 2011
Some of the work took time and meditation to understand but the "War Scroll" is as good a mystery that you will ever read. It often sounds like science fiction but may also reflect happenings in a former civilization. Gaza Vermes is both an excellent writer and, in this case, interpreter.
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