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Click on title of any pericope numbered in red to access the original language text.
| 233. | Teacher of Righteousness |
| 1 | Now hear this, all you who know righteousness and perceive the works |
| 2 | of God. For he has a case against all flesh, and will pass judgment on all who spurn him. |
| 3 | For when of old they forsook him, he hid his face from Israel and its sanctuary |
| 4 | and gave them up to the sword.
But remembering the covenant of the forefathers, he left a remnant |
| 5 | for Israel and did not give them
up to destruction. And at the end of his wrath he visited them---three hundred |
| 6 | and ninety years after he delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (597-582 BCE). |
| 7 | And he made the root he had planted spring up from Israel and Aaron to inherit |
| 8 | his land and to fatten on the
good of his ground. And they perceived their iniquity and knew |
| 9 | that they were men of guilt. But they were like the blind, and for |
| 10 | twenty years groped for
the
Way. And God observed their deeds, for they sought him with a sound heart [leb shalem]; |
| 11 | and he raised up for them a
Teacher
of Righteousness [moreh zedeq] to lead them in the Way of his heart. And he acquainted |
| 12 | later generations with what he
would do in the last generation, in the congregation of traitors, |
| 13 | those who resist the Way. |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, Damascus Covenant (CD) 1.1-13 |
| 234. | Secrets of the End-Time |
| 1 | And God told Habakkuk to write what will happen |
| 2 | in the last generation. But he did not let him know the end of the period. |
| 3 | Now regarding the saying, "so he may run [yarutz] who reads it [ha qore]" (Hab 2:2): |
| 4 | Unraveled, this is about the Teacher of Righteousness, to whom God made known |
| 5 | all the secrets [razei] of the words of his servants, the prophets. |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, Habakkuk Midrash (1QpHab) 7.1-5 |
| 235. | Secrets of Righteousness |
| 27 | Through me you have enlightened
the countenance of the masses and (have revealed) your might beyond measure. For you have given me knowledge through your wondrous secrets, |
| 28 | and through your wondrous
counsel [sod] you have grown strong within me. You have done wonders before the masses for the sake of your glory and to make |
| 29 | your wondrous deeds known to all
the living What is flesh compared to this? And what is massive form (next) to the greatness of wonders? (A human) is in the wrong |
| 30 | from the womb and guilty of fraud to old age. And I know that righteousness is not man's and the perfect Way not the son of man's. |
| 31 | To God Most High (belong) all
righteous deeds; the way of man is not made firm except by the Spirit God formed for him |
| 32 | to perfect the Way for the sons
of man: to make all his works know the power of (God's) might and the multitude of his mercies to all the sons |
| 33 | of his pleasure. |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, Thanksgiving Scroll (1QH) 4.27-33 |
| 236. | Separation from Judah |
| 10 | And at the end of the age, in accord with the record of those years, |
| 11 | there shall be no more
attachment to the house of Judah. Rather each man shall stand |
| 12 | on his stronghold. The wall will
be built up, "the boundary flung afar" [Micah 7:11]. |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, Damascus Covenant (CD) 4.10-12 |
| 237. | The Rod & the Well |
| 2 | And God remembered the covenant of the forefathers; and raising up from Aaron perceptive men and from Israel |
| 3 | wise men, he made them hear.
And they dug into the Well, "the well which the princes dug, |
| 4 | which the nobles of the
people delved with the rod" (Num 21:18). The Well is the Torah; and those who "dug" |
| 5 | are the repentant of Israel:
those who went out of the land of Judah and dwelt in the land of Damascus. |
| 6 | God called them all "princes" because they sought him [derashuhu], and no one spoke |
| 7 | to deny their glory. And the "Rod" [mehoqeq]* is the interpreter [doresh] of the Torah. |
| 8 | of whom Isaiah said: --"God makes a tool for his work" (Isa 54:16). And the "nobles of the people" are those |
| 9 | who dig into the well with commandments [mehoqqoth] which the Rod commanded |
| 10 | for them to walk in during the
whole term of wickedness. Without these they would not go far |
| 11 | until the one who teaches righteousness stands up in the last days. |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, Damascus Covenant (CD) 6.2-11 | |
| * | mehoqeq: lit: "commander" |
| 238. | Pre-Messianic Organization |
| 22 | And this is the rule for settling in c[amps]: |
| 23 | During the time of evil, those who walk by these things are to be at least ten men---until the Messiah of Aaron |
| 1 | and Israel stands up---(and organized) into thousands , hundreds, fifties |
| 2 | and tens [cf. Exod 18:25].... |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, Damascus Covenant (CD) 12.22-13.2 |
| 239. | The Overseer |
| 7 | And this is the rule for the
camp's overseer [mebaqer]: he shall give the masses insight into the works |
| 8 | of God, and shall make them see
the wonder of his mighty deeds, and shall recount for them what happened of old. |
| 9 | And he shall have compassion on
them, like a father towards his sons; and he shall carry them through all their distress, like a shepherd with his flock. |
| 10 | He shall loosen all the ties
that bind them, that there shall be none oppressed or broken in his congregation... |
| 8 | ...And the overseer |
| 9 | of all the camps (shall be) from thirty to fifty years (old), familiar with every |
| 10 | secret [sod] of men and
all the languages of their families. Initiates shall enter the community according to his say, |
| 11 | each in his rank.
And let any man report to the overseer any matter that he might have |
| 12 | about any case or judgment. |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, Damascus Covenant (CD) 13.7-10, 14.8-12 |
| 240. | The Messiah's Sword |
| 5 | But all who reject the commandments |
| 6 | and precepts shall bring the
reward of the wicked on themselves when God visits the earth [aretz], |
| 7 | when the word written by the
hand of the prophet Zechariah shall come (true): --"Sword, |
| 8 | awake upon my Shepherd and upon the man associated with me, says God. Strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered; |
| 9 | but I will turn my hand upon
the little ones" (Zech 13:7). Now those who hear him are the flock's afflicted, |
| 10 | these will escape in the period
of (God's) visitation. But those who remain will be offered up to the sword, when the Messiah |
| 11 | of Aaron and Israel comes, as it was in the period of the first visitation, |
| 12 | as he reported by the hand of
Ezekiel: --"A mark shall be put on the forehead of those who sigh and groan" (Ezek 9:4). |
| 13 | But those who remained were
given up to the sword of vengeance, the avenger of the Covenant... |
| 32 | And a like judgment is on all who reject the commandments of God |
| 33 | and forsake them and turn away
in the stubbornness of their hearts. Likewise, of all who entered into the New Covenant |
| 34 | in the land of Damascus:
if anyone turns back and betrays it and departs from the Well of living waters [beer mayim hachayyim] |
| 35 | he shall neither be counted in
the council of the people nor recorded in their roll, from the day |
| 1 | of the Teacher of the Community until the Messiah of Aaron and Israel rises up. |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, Damascus Covenant (CD) 19.5-13,32-20.1 |
| 241. | The Judgment of Israel |
| 13 | And from the day |
| 14 | the Director of the Community [yoreh ha yahad] was gathered in until the end |
| 15 | of all the men of war who went with the Liar [ish ha kazab], there will be about forty years. And in this period |
| 16 | the wrath of God will be kindled
against Israel, as he said: --"(There shall be) no kings and no prince" (Hosea 3:4), and no judge and none |
| 17 | to testify with righteousness... |
| 22 | (But all members of) the house of separation [peleg] who left the holy city [= Jerusalem] |
| 23 | and relied on God in the period
when Israel cheated and soiled the sanctuary and (who) returned |
| 24 | to God and [the Way] of the
people in minute matters, each shall be judged according to his spirit |
| 25 | in the council of holiness.
And all who entered into the covenant, yet took away the limit of the Torah: |
| 26 | when the glory of God shall be
revealed to Israel, they shall be cut off from the camp along with all who condemned |
| 27 | Judah in the days of its trials. |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, Damascus Covenant (CD) 20.13-17, 22-27 |
| 242. | Last Priests of Jerusalem |
| 3 | "For you have plundered
many nations, and you shall be plundered by all |
| 4 | the remnant of the
peoples" (Hab 2:8). Unraveled, this is about the last priests of Jerusalem |
| 5 | who shall get wealth and booty from plundering the peoples. |
| 6 | But in the last days,
their
wealth and their plunder their wealth and their plunder shall be given into the hand(s) |
| 7 | of the army of the Kittim.* For they shall be "the remnant of the peoples." |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, Habakkuk Midrash (1QpHab) 9.3-7 | |
| * | Kittim: Hebrew name for Cyprus. In this and other writings of the Roman period, like the War Scroll below, it is a code name for the Romans. |
| 243. | Sons of Light vs. Sons of Darkness |
| 8 | (...righteousness) shall
enlighten all the ends of the world. And the light will proceed until all the times of darkness are ended. And in the time of God, his great glory will shine for peace and blessing for all times. |
| 9 | (There shall be) glory and joy
and length of days for all the sons of light.
And on the day the Kittim fall, (there shall be) a battle and a fierce slaughter before the God |
| 10 | of Israel. For this is the day he appointed from of old, for a war to annihilate the sons of darkness. Then the congregation of gods and the assembly of man shall draw near for the great slaughter. |
| 11 | The sons of light and the lot of
darkness shall do battle together for the Strength of God amid the sound of a great throng and the cries of gods and men. This is "the Day" [cf. Jer 30:7] |
| 12 | and it shall be a "time
of distress" for the people God redeems. And there will be "nothing like it" in all their distress from the beginning to (its) end in everlasting redemption. |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, War Scroll (1QM) 1.8-12 |
| 244. | Michael, the Angelic Ruler |
| 5 | The day is the time he appointed to humble and bring low the prince of the kingdom |
| 6 | of wickedness. And he shall send everlasting aid to the lot he has redeemed, by the strength of the majestic angel, to those ruled by Michael in everlasting light [cf. Dan 12:1] |
| 7 | to enlighten the Co(venant of
I)srael with joy. (There shall be) peace and blessing for the lot of God to raise up the rule of Michael among the gods and the dominion |
| 8 | of Israel among all flesh.
The Righteous One shall rejoice in the heights; and all the sons of his Truth will be blessed with everlasting knowledge. And you sons of his Covenant, |
| 9 | be strong when God tries you.
His secrets will support you until he hastens his hand and his trials to cease. |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, War Scroll (1QM) 17.5-9 |
| 245. | The Son of David & the Teacher of Torah |
| 10 | "(And) the
LORD (de)clares that he will build you a
house..." and "I will raise up your seed after you..." and "I will establish the throne of his kingdom |
| 11 | (forev)er. I (will
b)e his Father and he shall be my
son" (2 Sam 7:11-14). He is the Branch of David who will rise up with the Interpreter of the Torah [doresh haTorah] |
| 12 | (to rule) in Zi(on at the) end
of days, as it is written: --"I will raise up the tent of David which has fallen" (Amos 9:11). The "tent |
| 13 | of David which has fallen" is he who will stand up to save Israel. |
| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, Messianic Florilegia (4Qflor) 1.10-13 |
| 246. | Melchizedek's Jubilee |
| (And con)cerning his
saying (Lev 25:13): --"In this year of ju(bilee you shall restore a man to his inheritance"): (Unraveled, this is...?) (And concerning his saying (Deut 15:2):) --"Every master [ba'al] (shall relea)se his hand concerning his claim (upon his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother, because he has declared the) release for G(od.") (Unraveled, this is for the en)d of days. (It is) about the captives which (?...Belial) bound (?...?) and from the inheritance of Melchizedek fo(r...) and they are the inherit(ance of Melchize)dek, who will restore them; and he will declare freedom [deror]* for them to release them (and to atone) for their sins and (?...?) this word, in the la(s)t year of jubilee (?...?) (?...?) the (t)enth (ju)bilee (?...?), in which to atone for all the sons (of light) (and the) men of the (l)ot of Mel(chi)zedek (?...?) over (th)em (?...?) because that is the end [qetz]** to the acceptable year of Melchize(dek...?) (?...?) and the holy ones of God to the realm of judgment; as it is written about him in the Songs of David, who says (Ps 82:1): --"God [Elohim] (stand)s in the coun(cil of God [El]); in the midst of the gods [elohim] he judges." And (David) says about him (Ps 7:7f): -- "Return to the height (a)bove them. God [El]*** will judge the peoples." And as he sa(ys; Ps 82:2): --"(How long will) you judge falsely and li(ft up) the face of the wick(ed? Se)lah." Unraveled [pishru], this is about Belial and his lot of spir(it)s, who (?...?). And Melchizedek will exact the ven(ge)ance of the judg(me)nts of G(od); (?...from the hand of Be)lial and the hand of all the (spirits of his lot). And in his aid are the gods [eli(m)] (on high). He (?...al)l the sons of Mi(gh)t and the (?...?) this. That is the day of (destruction). (And wh)at is written (for the end of days by Isai)ah the prophet, who say(s) (Isa 52:7): --"(How) beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who bears good n(ews), (he who) proclaims peace, who be(ars good news of good), (he who proclaims salva)tion, who says to Zion: Your God (is king [melek])****" This is unraveled: --"the mountain(s": these are...?) for all (?...?). --"he who bears good news": h(e is the one an)ointed by the Spir(it); of him Dan(iel) says (Dan 9:25): ("Until an anointed prince, it is seven weeks.") --"(...who bears good news of) good, he who proclai(ms salvation)." That is what is w(ritt)en about him, where he (says): --"(?...?) to com(fort all who mourn" Isa 61:2).***** (?...?) he will make them wise in all the times (of wrath) (?...in) truth (?...?) (?...she) turns away from Belial and (?...?) (?...?) by the judgment(s) of God, as it is written about him (Isa 52:7): --"(He who says to Zi)on: Your God is king!" ("Zi)on": th(at is...?) (?...those) who establish the covenant, those who turned away from walking (in the w)ay of the peoples. "Your G(o)d": that is (?...from) Belial. And where he says (Lev 25:9): --"You shall direct the trump(et to sound in) all (the la)nd..." |
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| --- Dead Sea Scrolls, Melchizedek Fragment (11Qmelch) | |
| [NOTE: This text was originally a good example of messianic exegesis at Qumran. But the poor condition of the ms. fragment delayed its publication and prevented its inclusion in the popular collections of the Dead Sea scrolls. Wording that is decipherable, printed in boldface, though often lacking coherence, offers important points of comparison with messianic passages in the NT. So it is presented here, despite the difficult reading caused by the frequent sizeable lacunae (?...?), which prevent a complete and exact reconstruction. The conjectural portions of the translation (text in parentheses), follow the readings suggested by M. deJonge and A.S. vander Woude (NTS 12, 1965-66) or G. Martinez and E.J.C. Tigchelaar (Dead Sea Scrolls, 2008)]. | |
| * | deror: or "pardon." |
| ** | qetz: or "time." Hebrew word has same connotations of English "term." |
| *** | El: ms. varies from Massoretic text, which has here: YHWH ("Lord"). |
| **** | lit: "Melek is your God." While this verse is clearly the source of the author's identification of Melchizedek with passages in the Psalms referring to "God," it is unclear whether he read it as a proclamation that God is king or that Melchizedek is divine. |
| ***** | Isa 61:2: com(fort all who mourn) is this translator's tentative reconstruction, made likely by the fact that the author has just identified the herald of Isa 52:7 was "anointed by the Spirit," a characteristic not mentioned in that passage but invoked in Isa 61:1. |
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