The cave where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

QUMRAN, KHIRBET [KIRbeht KOOM rahn] - an ancient ruin on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea. In 1947 a wandering goatherder looking for his goats in caves above the dry river bed, or wadi, of Qumran found several large jars. These jars contained ancient scrolls that have since become known as the DEAD SEA SCROLLS. Following this discovery, the area was opened for extensive archaeological research.

From 1951 to 1956 excavation of the area revealed more scrolls, as well as dated coins, pottery, and fragments from scrolls. These items made it possible to connect the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in the nearby caves to the Qumran community, which lived in Khirbet Qumran.

Excavations reveal that Khirbet Qumran was a Jewish community that was active from 130 B.C. to A.D. 135. In 31 B.C. an earthquake destroyed the settlement and made it uninhabitable. In 4 B.C. another group of Jews rebuilt on the site, enlarged it, and occupied it until the war with Rome in A.D. 68, when the Roman garrison sent to destroy Jericho took command of this outpost in the desert. Jewish zealots reestablished themselves at Qumran in A.D. 90 and defended thier position until A.D. 135, when the Romans again fought and conquered Jewish resistance.

Some of the remains of walls and pottery in Khirbet Qumran date to the eighth and seventh centuries B.C. - the time of King Uzziah of Judah. The significant period is much later, around 50 B.C. to A.D. 68, when a group of pious Jews built and occupied the fortress, or monastery-like dwelling, at Qumran. The people who occupied the fortress committed themselves to a disciplined life of obedience to the Law as interpreted by the leader of the community, known as the Teacher of Righteousness. Some of the writings found here may be a collection of teachings from the Teacher of Righteousness himself.

The exact identity of the people who lived in Qumran in this later period is not known. Scholars have suggested that they were a small group of Jews who were disgusted with the corruption and lawlessness of the priests and leaders responsible for worship at the Temple in Jerusalem. The Qumran community sought to purify itself from the sin of those who distorted the law. Large baths or pools were found in Khirbet Qumran and were probably used for daily ritual baths. Twelve hundred grave sites were found just east of the ruin. The skeletal remains were simply laid to rest in the ground without any burial objects. This indicates that a large number of people inhabited Qumran at one time.

Josephus and Philo, both first-century A.D. Jewish writers, describe a group known as Essenes who occupied communities similar to Qumran. This has led some scholars to the conviction that Essenes were the residents of Khirbet Qumran and were the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls. During the Jewish wars with Rome (A.D. 66-73 and A.D. 132-135) Zealots joined the people of Qumran for what they believed to be the final war with evil. The Romans won the war and destroyed the memory of these people until the discovery of the caves at Qumran in 1947.

DEAD SEA SCROLLS - the popular name for the 800 scrolls and fragment of scrolls that were found in 11 caves near Khirbet ("ruin of") Qumran on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea in 1947 and shortly thereafter. Taken together, these leather and papyrus (primitive paper) manuscripts were a find without precedent in the history of modern archaeology. The Dead Sea Scrolls have helped scholars to: (1) establish the date of a Hebrew Bible no later than A.D. 70; (2) reconstruct various details of the history of the Holy Land from the fourth century B.C. to A.D. 135; and (3) clarify the relationship between Jewish religious traditions and early Christianity.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered when a Bedouin shepherd, who was looking for a stray goat, discovered several large clay pots containing ancient scrolls on the floor of a cave above Wadi Qumran. After some delay, several scholars were shown the manuscripts by dealers in antiquities. When it was determined that these manuscripts were extremely old, scholars began their search in earnest. Slowly other valuable scrolls were found, gathered, carefully unrolled, and published. It took 20 years (1947-1967) to bring together the various texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Because the Scrolls were written between 250 B.C. and A.D. 68, they offer an invaluable source for understanding the beliefs, community life, and use of the Bible of one group of Jews, probably the Essenes, who were active during the time Jesus lived. Jericho, a town Jesus visited, is only 8 miles north of Khirbet Qumran. Some scholars believe that some of the early followers of Jesus or John the Baptist may have come from the Qumran Community. Some of the writings of this community remind the reader of the themes of "repentance" and the "coming of the new age" that were preached by John the Baptist and Jesus. However, there is no evidence that the followers of John or Jesus joined the Qumran group.

The writings are the work of Jewish sectarians, written mainly in Hebrew, with a few in Aramaic and some fragments in Greek. Some of the scrolls were written to protest the lawless priest who was in charge of the Temple worship in Jerusalem. It is likely that the main reason for building this monastic-like community near the Dead Sea was to get away from the "wicked priest" and to hear the words of the "teacher of righteousness." Not all of the Dead Sea Scrolls have been translated or published. Probably the most interesting ones were found in Cave 1 not far from Qumran. Seven scrolls were found preserved in fairly good condition. They had been carefully stored in large clay jars and include:

1. A complete manuscript of the Book of Isaiah in Hebrew.
2. A partial manuscript of Isaiah in Hebrew. (The two Isaiah scrolls are easy to read, even after more than 2000 years, and are the earliest copies of Isaiah in existence.)
3. The Community Rule, or The Manual of Discipline, containing the laws that governed the life of the Qumran community.
4. The Thanksgiving Psalms are similar to the biblical psalms. They praise God the Creator for His protection against evil: "I give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast put my soul in the bundle of life and hedged me against all the snares of corruption."
5. The War Scroll is an interesting collection of plans for the final battle between the "sons of light" and "the son of darkness," or between the "army of God" and the "army of Belial" (the Evil One). Such information as that of religious offices during wartime, recruitment, the sequence of campaigns, and the order of deploying battle squadrons is included.
6. A commentary on the Book of Habakkak known as the Pesher on Habakkuk was written to demonstrate how the prophet Habakkuk, who lived in the seventh century B.C., was actually writing for the battle of the last days, when the wicked would be defeated by the righteous. The author of the Pesher on Habakkuk made direct references from Habakkuk to his own day. One section has the following commentary: "And God told Habakkuk to write down that which would happen to the final generation, but he did not make known to him when time would come to an end. And as for that which He said, 'That he who reads may read speedily' (Hab. 2:2); interpreted, this concerns the Teacher of Righteousness, to whom God made known all the mysteries of the words of His servants the prophets."
7. The Genesis Apocryphon, a "commentary" on the Book of Genesis, is only partially preserved. Written around 50 B.C. in Aramaic, the common language of the Jews, it begins with the birth of Noah and documents the life and adventures of Abraham.

These seven manuscripts are typical of the scrolls found in the other caves on the west side of the Dead Sea. The material discovered includes various kinds of literature. There are numerous biblical fragments, such as commentaries on Isaiah, Hosea, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Psalm 37, Psalm 45, and Genesis. Except for Esther, all the books of the Old Testament were found in part or in full.

Apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings were found scattered in various caves. Fragments of Tobit and Ecclesiasticus from the Apocrypha give evidence of the importance of these works for the community. The Book of Jubilees, the Book of Enoch, some the the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, the sayings of Moses, the Vision of Amram, the Psalms of Joshua, the Prayer of Nabonidus, and the Book of Mysteries are a few of the pseudepigraphal works discovered. A number of hymns or psalms that were found and are included in this category are: The Hymn of the Initiates, The Book of Hymns (The Thanksgiving Hymns), Psalm 151, Poems from a Qumran Hymnal, Lament for Zion, and Hymns of Triumph.

The writings that were found can be listed under the following categories:

Biblical Manuscripts: Isaiah scroll (complete), Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, among many others. Some are represented by multiple copies.

Commentaries: Genesis, Apocryphon, Job, Isaiah, Hosea, Micah, Habakkuk, Psalm 37, and Psalm 45.

Apocrypha: Epistle to Jeremiah, Tobit, and Eccesiasticus.

Pseudepigrapha: Book of Jubilees, Book of Enoch, and The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs (fragments).

Previously Unknown Pseudepigrapha: Sayings of Moses, Vision of Amram, Psalms of Joshua, Daniel cycle (The Prayer of Nabonidus), and Book of Mysteries.

Community Documents: The Manual of Discipline, Damascus Document, Thanksgiving Psalm, and War Scroll.

The examples here are meant to be suggestive, and not exhaustive, of the archaeological finds. Other manuscripts discovered in the Judean Wilderness, for instance, deal with a later era.

Although many fragments have yet to be published, photographs of all the Dead Sea Scrolls, whether complete or fragmentary, have now been released and made available for scholarly research.