Dead Sea scrolls - Revision history

Nick at 09:09, 4 March 2017

Nick — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 09:09:48 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 09:09, 4 March 2017
Line 1:		Line 1:
	[[Image:Psalms Scroll.jpg\|right\|thumb\|300px\|The Psalms Scroll with transcription.]]		[[Image:Psalms Scroll.jpg\|right\|thumb\|300px\|The Psalms Scroll with transcription.]]
-	The '''Dead Sea scrolls''' consist of about ~~900~~ documents, including texts from the [[Hebrew Bible]], discovered between [[1947 AD\|1947]] and [[1956 AD\|1956]] in eleven [[The Qumran Caves\|cave]]s in and around the [[Qumran]] [[Wadi]] near the ruins of the ancient settlement of [[Qumran\|Khirbet Qumran]], on the northwest shore of the [[Dead Sea]].	+	The '''Dead Sea scrolls''' consist of about 981 documents, including texts from the [[Hebrew Bible]], discovered between [[1947 AD\|1947]] and [[1956 AD\|1956]] in eleven [[The Qumran Caves\|cave]]s in and around the [[Qumran]] [[Wadi]] near the ruins of the ancient settlement of [[Qumran\|Khirbet Qumran]], on the northwest shore of the [[Dead Sea]].

	The texts are of great religious and historical significance, as they include some of the only known surviving copies of Biblical documents made before 100 BCE and preserve evidence of late [[Second Temple]] [[Judaism]]. They are written in [[Hebrew]], [[Aramaic]] and [[Koine Greek\|Greek]], mostly on [[parchment]], but with some written on [[papyrus]].<sup>[1]</sup> These manuscripts generally date between [[150 BC\|150 BCE]] to [[70 AD\|70 CE]].<sup>[2]</sup> The scrolls are most commonly identified with the ancient [[Jew]]ish [[sect]] called the [[Essenes]], though some recent interpretations have challenged their association with the scrolls.<sup>[3]</sup> Still, these represent a minority view, as references in ancient texts from [[Josephus]], [[Philo]], and [[Pliny]] all discuss the Essenes, with Pliny identifying the center of Essene activity on the west side of the Dead Sea, exactly where the scrolls were found.<sup>[4]</sup> Moreover, Philo and Josephus both extensively describe the customs and beliefs of the Essenes, in many cases closely matching information found in the scrolls themselves.<sup>[5]</sup> This is not surprising, since Josephus reports in his ''Life'' that at the age of sixteen he became an Essene neophyte for three years.<sup>[6]</sup>		The texts are of great religious and historical significance, as they include some of the only known surviving copies of Biblical documents made before 100 BCE and preserve evidence of late [[Second Temple]] [[Judaism]]. They are written in [[Hebrew]], [[Aramaic]] and [[Koine Greek\|Greek]], mostly on [[parchment]], but with some written on [[papyrus]].<sup>[1]</sup> These manuscripts generally date between [[150 BC\|150 BCE]] to [[70 AD\|70 CE]].<sup>[2]</sup> The scrolls are most commonly identified with the ancient [[Jew]]ish [[sect]] called the [[Essenes]], though some recent interpretations have challenged their association with the scrolls.<sup>[3]</sup> Still, these represent a minority view, as references in ancient texts from [[Josephus]], [[Philo]], and [[Pliny]] all discuss the Essenes, with Pliny identifying the center of Essene activity on the west side of the Dead Sea, exactly where the scrolls were found.<sup>[4]</sup> Moreover, Philo and Josephus both extensively describe the customs and beliefs of the Essenes, in many cases closely matching information found in the scrolls themselves.<sup>[5]</sup> This is not surprising, since Josephus reports in his ''Life'' that at the age of sixteen he became an Essene neophyte for three years.<sup>[6]</sup>

Beza 1598 at 08:25, 5 March 2016

Beza 1598 — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 08:25:53 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 08:25, 5 March 2016
Line 369:		Line 369:
	*[http://www.duke.edu/~goranson/jannaeus.pdf "Jannaeus, His Brother Absalom, and Judah the Essene,"] Stephen Goranson, on Teacher of Righteousness and Wicked Priest identities.		*[http://www.duke.edu/~goranson/jannaeus.pdf "Jannaeus, His Brother Absalom, and Judah the Essene,"] Stephen Goranson, on Teacher of Righteousness and Wicked Priest identities.
	*[http://www.duke.edu/~goranson/Essenes_&_Others.pdf "Others and Intra-Jewish Polemic as Reflected in Qumran Texts,"] Stephen Goranson, evidence that English "Essenes" comes from Greek spellings that come from Hebrew 'osey hatorah, a self-designation in some Qumran texts.		*[http://www.duke.edu/~goranson/Essenes_&_Others.pdf "Others and Intra-Jewish Polemic as Reflected in Qumran Texts,"] Stephen Goranson, evidence that English "Essenes" comes from Greek spellings that come from Hebrew 'osey hatorah, a self-designation in some Qumran texts.
-

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Dead Sea Scrolls}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Dead Sea Scrolls}}
Line 378:		Line 377:
	[[Category:Archaeological corpora]]		[[Category:Archaeological corpora]]
	[[Category:British Library collections]]		[[Category:British Library collections]]
		+
		+	{{Donate}}

Nick at 11:08, 17 March 2012

Nick — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 11:08:44 GMT

Nick: /* Discovery */

Nick — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 11:07:35 GMT

Discovery

←Older revision		Revision as of 11:07, 17 March 2012
Line 12:		Line 12:

	==Discovery==		==Discovery==
-	[[~~File~~:Qumran.jpeg\|thumb\|The caves in which the scrolls were found]]	+	[[image:Qumran.jpeg\|thumb\|The caves in which the scrolls were found]]
-	[[~~File~~:QumranLivingQuarters.jpg\|thumb\|Remains of the west wing of the main building at Qumran.]]	+	[[image:QumranLivingQuarters.jpg\|thumb\|Remains of the west wing of the main building at Qumran.]]
	The settlement of Qumran is 1 km inland from the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. The scrolls were found in eleven caves nearby, between 125m (Cave 4) and 1 km (Cave 1) away. None were found within the settlement, unless it originally encompassed the caves. In the winter of 1946–47, [[Muhammed edh-Dhib]] and his cousin discovered the caves, and soon afterwards the scrolls.		The settlement of Qumran is 1 km inland from the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. The scrolls were found in eleven caves nearby, between 125m (Cave 4) and 1 km (Cave 1) away. None were found within the settlement, unless it originally encompassed the caves. In the winter of 1946–47, [[Muhammed edh-Dhib]] and his cousin discovered the caves, and soon afterwards the scrolls.

Nick at 10:51, 17 March 2012

Nick — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 10:51:15 GMT

Show changes

Boat209850892086: /* Significance to the Canon of the Bible */

Boat209850892086 — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 07:49:51 GMT

Significance to the Canon of the Bible

←Older revision		Revision as of 07:49, 17 March 2012
Line 163:		Line 163:

	As to further expand on the dates of the Dead Sea Scrolls to support the above three quotes:		As to further expand on the dates of the Dead Sea Scrolls to support the above three quotes:
-

	(4)"The second strand of evidence is that the generally accepted dates for the scrolls are corroborated by palaeographical considerations. Palaeography is the study of ancient writing and, more specifically, the shape and style of letters. Characteristic of ancient languages, the manner in which Hebrew and Aramaic letters were written changed over a period of time. The trained eye can determine, within certain boundaries, the time frame of a document based upon the shape of its letters. This is the method by which scholars determine the date of a text on palaeographical grounds. According to this technique, the scripts at Qumran belong to three periods of palaeographical development: (1) a small group of biblical texts whose archaic style reflects the period between about 250-150 B.C.; (2) a large cache of manuscripts, both biblical and non-biblical, that is consistent with a writing style common to the Hasmonean period (c. 150-30 B.C.); and (3) a similarly large number of texts that evinces a writing style characteristic of the Herodian period (30 B.C.-A.D. 70). This linguistic information also is consistent with the commonly accepted dates of the Qumran materials.		(4)"The second strand of evidence is that the generally accepted dates for the scrolls are corroborated by palaeographical considerations. Palaeography is the study of ancient writing and, more specifically, the shape and style of letters. Characteristic of ancient languages, the manner in which Hebrew and Aramaic letters were written changed over a period of time. The trained eye can determine, within certain boundaries, the time frame of a document based upon the shape of its letters. This is the method by which scholars determine the date of a text on palaeographical grounds. According to this technique, the scripts at Qumran belong to three periods of palaeographical development: (1) a small group of biblical texts whose archaic style reflects the period between about 250-150 B.C.; (2) a large cache of manuscripts, both biblical and non-biblical, that is consistent with a writing style common to the Hasmonean period (c. 150-30 B.C.); and (3) a similarly large number of texts that evinces a writing style characteristic of the Herodian period (30 B.C.-A.D. 70). This linguistic information also is consistent with the commonly accepted dates of the Qumran materials.

Boat209850892086: /* Significance to the Canon of the Bible */

Boat209850892086 — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 07:22:48 GMT

Significance to the Canon of the Bible

←Older revision		Revision as of 07:22, 17 March 2012
Line 149:		Line 149:
	The significance of the scrolls relates in a large part to the field of textual criticism. Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest Hebrew manuscripts of the Bible were [[Masoretic]] texts dating to 9th century AD. The biblical manuscripts found among the Dead Sea Scrolls push that date back a millennium to the 2nd century BC. Before this discovery, the earliest extant manuscripts of the Old Testament were in Greek in manuscripts such as [[Codex Vaticanus Graecus 1209]] and [[Codex Sinaiticus]].		The significance of the scrolls relates in a large part to the field of textual criticism. Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest Hebrew manuscripts of the Bible were [[Masoretic]] texts dating to 9th century AD. The biblical manuscripts found among the Dead Sea Scrolls push that date back a millennium to the 2nd century BC. Before this discovery, the earliest extant manuscripts of the Old Testament were in Greek in manuscripts such as [[Codex Vaticanus Graecus 1209]] and [[Codex Sinaiticus]].

-	Although an official cannon was made later in history (after the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls), the Dead Sea Scrolls show how accurately the books of the Bible were transmitted through history. The Dead Sea Scrolls contains Biblical literature which predates the New Testament period altogether. The four quotes below ~~shows~~ this:	+	Although an official cannon was made later in history (after the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls), the Dead Sea Scrolls show how accurately the books of the Bible were transmitted through history. The Dead Sea Scrolls contains Biblical literature which predates the New Testament period altogether. The four quotes below show this:

	(1)"Some of the manuscripts were of Jewish apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings (e.g., 1 Enoch, Tobit, and Jubilees); others often are grouped together as “ascetic” writings (miscellaneous books of rules, poetry, commentary, etc.). The most notable and pertinent group of documents found in the caves of Qumran near the Dead Sea is the collection of Old Testament books. Every book from the Hebrew Bible was accounted for among the scrolls except the book of Esther."<ref>Lyons, Eric M.Min. The Da Vinci Code and the Dead Sea Scrolls. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=798 Copyright © 2006 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>		(1)"Some of the manuscripts were of Jewish apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings (e.g., 1 Enoch, Tobit, and Jubilees); others often are grouped together as “ascetic” writings (miscellaneous books of rules, poetry, commentary, etc.). The most notable and pertinent group of documents found in the caves of Qumran near the Dead Sea is the collection of Old Testament books. Every book from the Hebrew Bible was accounted for among the scrolls except the book of Esther."<ref>Lyons, Eric M.Min. The Da Vinci Code and the Dead Sea Scrolls. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=798 Copyright © 2006 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>

Boat209850892086: /* Significance to the Canon of the Bible */

Boat209850892086 — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 07:21:51 GMT

Significance to the Canon of the Bible

←Older revision		Revision as of 07:21, 17 March 2012
Line 151:		Line 151:
	Although an official cannon was made later in history (after the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls), the Dead Sea Scrolls show how accurately the books of the Bible were transmitted through history. The Dead Sea Scrolls contains Biblical literature which predates the New Testament period altogether. The four quotes below shows this:		Although an official cannon was made later in history (after the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls), the Dead Sea Scrolls show how accurately the books of the Bible were transmitted through history. The Dead Sea Scrolls contains Biblical literature which predates the New Testament period altogether. The four quotes below shows this:

-	"Some of the manuscripts were of Jewish apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings (e.g., 1 Enoch, Tobit, and Jubilees); others often are grouped together as “ascetic” writings (miscellaneous books of rules, poetry, commentary, etc.). The most notable and pertinent group of documents found in the caves of Qumran near the Dead Sea is the collection of Old Testament books. Every book from the Hebrew Bible was accounted for among the scrolls except the book of Esther."<ref>Lyons, Eric M.Min. The Da Vinci Code and the Dead Sea Scrolls. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=798 Copyright © 2006 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>	+	(1)"Some of the manuscripts were of Jewish apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings (e.g., 1 Enoch, Tobit, and Jubilees); others often are grouped together as “ascetic” writings (miscellaneous books of rules, poetry, commentary, etc.). The most notable and pertinent group of documents found in the caves of Qumran near the Dead Sea is the collection of Old Testament books. Every book from the Hebrew Bible was accounted for among the scrolls except the book of Esther."<ref>Lyons, Eric M.Min. The Da Vinci Code and the Dead Sea Scrolls. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=798 Copyright © 2006 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>

	To attest to the accuracy of the Biblical works of the current day in comparison to the Dead Sea Scrolls:		To attest to the accuracy of the Biblical works of the current day in comparison to the Dead Sea Scrolls:

-	"Critical scholars questioned the accuracy of the MT, which formed the basis of our English versions of the Old Testament, since there was such a large chronological gap between it and the autographs. Because of this uncertainty, scholars often “corrected” the text with considerable freedom. Qumran, however, has provided remains of an early Masoretic edition predating the Christian era on which the traditional MT [Masoretic] is based. A comparison of the MT to this earlier text revealed the remarkable accuracy with which scribes copied the sacred texts. Accordingly, the integrity of the Hebrew Bible was confirmed, which generally has heightened its respect among scholars and drastically reduced textual alteration."<ref>Brantley, Garry K. M.A., M.Div The Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical Integrity. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=357 Copyright © 1995 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>	+	(2)"Critical scholars questioned the accuracy of the MT, which formed the basis of our English versions of the Old Testament, since there was such a large chronological gap between it and the autographs. Because of this uncertainty, scholars often “corrected” the text with considerable freedom. Qumran, however, has provided remains of an early Masoretic edition predating the Christian era on which the traditional MT [Masoretic] is based. A comparison of the MT to this earlier text revealed the remarkable accuracy with which scribes copied the sacred texts. Accordingly, the integrity of the Hebrew Bible was confirmed, which generally has heightened its respect among scholars and drastically reduced textual alteration."<ref>Brantley, Garry K. M.A., M.Div The Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical Integrity. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=357 Copyright © 1995 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>

	Furthermore:		Furthermore:

-	"As a result of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, scholars now have access to ancient Hebrew manuscripts that are 1,000 years older than the Masoretic Text manuscripts, which has enabled scholars to confirm the incredible accuracy of the Hebrew Text. In fact, a comparison of the standard Hebrew texts with that of the Dead Sea scrolls has revealed that the two are virtually identical. The variations (about 5%) occurred only in minor spelling differences and minute copyists’ mistakes."<ref>Tarpley, Thomas B.S. An Inspiring Glimpse into the	+	(3)"As a result of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, scholars now have access to ancient Hebrew manuscripts that are 1,000 years older than the Masoretic Text manuscripts, which has enabled scholars to confirm the incredible accuracy of the Hebrew Text. In fact, a comparison of the standard Hebrew texts with that of the Dead Sea scrolls has revealed that the two are virtually identical. The variations (about 5%) occurred only in minor spelling differences and minute copyists’ mistakes."<ref>Tarpley, Thomas B.S. An Inspiring Glimpse into the
	Text of the Dead Sea Scrolls. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=1231 Copyright © 2003 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>		Text of the Dead Sea Scrolls. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=1231 Copyright © 2003 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>

Line 165:		Line 165:


-	"The second strand of evidence is that the generally accepted dates for the scrolls are corroborated by palaeographical considerations. Palaeography is the study of ancient writing and, more specifically, the shape and style of letters. Characteristic of ancient languages, the manner in which Hebrew and Aramaic letters were written changed over a period of time. The trained eye can determine, within certain boundaries, the time frame of a document based upon the shape of its letters. This is the method by which scholars determine the date of a text on palaeographical grounds. According to this technique, the scripts at Qumran belong to three periods of palaeographical development: (1) a small group of biblical texts whose archaic style reflects the period between about 250-150 B.C.; (2) a large cache of manuscripts, both biblical and non-biblical, that is consistent with a writing style common to the Hasmonean period (c. 150-30 B.C.); and (3) a similarly large number of texts that evinces a writing style characteristic of the Herodian period (30 B.C.-A.D. 70). This linguistic information also is consistent with the commonly accepted dates of the Qumran materials.	+	(4)"The second strand of evidence is that the generally accepted dates for the scrolls are corroborated by palaeographical considerations. Palaeography is the study of ancient writing and, more specifically, the shape and style of letters. Characteristic of ancient languages, the manner in which Hebrew and Aramaic letters were written changed over a period of time. The trained eye can determine, within certain boundaries, the time frame of a document based upon the shape of its letters. This is the method by which scholars determine the date of a text on palaeographical grounds. According to this technique, the scripts at Qumran belong to three periods of palaeographical development: (1) a small group of biblical texts whose archaic style reflects the period between about 250-150 B.C.; (2) a large cache of manuscripts, both biblical and non-biblical, that is consistent with a writing style common to the Hasmonean period (c. 150-30 B.C.); and (3) a similarly large number of texts that evinces a writing style characteristic of the Herodian period (30 B.C.-A.D. 70). This linguistic information also is consistent with the commonly accepted dates of the Qumran materials.

	Finally, as an aside, the carbon-14 tests done on both the cloth in which certain scrolls were wrapped, and the scrolls themselves, generally correspond to the palaeographic dates. There are, however, some considerable differences. Due to the inexact nature of carbon-14 dating techniques (see Major, 1993), and the possibility of chemical contamination, scholars place greater confidence in the historically corroborated palaeographic dates (see Shanks, 1991, 17[6]:72). At any rate, the archaeological and linguistic data provide scholars with reasonable confidence that the scrolls date from 250 B.C. to A.D. 70."<ref>Brantley, Garry K. M.A., M.Div The Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical Integrity. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=357 Copyright © 1995 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>		Finally, as an aside, the carbon-14 tests done on both the cloth in which certain scrolls were wrapped, and the scrolls themselves, generally correspond to the palaeographic dates. There are, however, some considerable differences. Due to the inexact nature of carbon-14 dating techniques (see Major, 1993), and the possibility of chemical contamination, scholars place greater confidence in the historically corroborated palaeographic dates (see Shanks, 1991, 17[6]:72). At any rate, the archaeological and linguistic data provide scholars with reasonable confidence that the scrolls date from 250 B.C. to A.D. 70."<ref>Brantley, Garry K. M.A., M.Div The Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical Integrity. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=357 Copyright © 1995 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>

Boat209850892086: /* Significance to the Canon of the Bible */

Boat209850892086 — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 07:20:34 GMT

Significance to the Canon of the Bible

←Older revision		Revision as of 07:20, 17 March 2012
Line 151:		Line 151:
	Although an official cannon was made later in history (after the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls), the Dead Sea Scrolls show how accurately the books of the Bible were transmitted through history. The Dead Sea Scrolls contains Biblical literature which predates the New Testament period altogether. The four quotes below shows this:		Although an official cannon was made later in history (after the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls), the Dead Sea Scrolls show how accurately the books of the Bible were transmitted through history. The Dead Sea Scrolls contains Biblical literature which predates the New Testament period altogether. The four quotes below shows this:

-	~~{{Quote\|~~Some of the manuscripts were of Jewish apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings (e.g., 1 Enoch, Tobit, and Jubilees); others often are grouped together as “ascetic” writings (miscellaneous books of rules, poetry, commentary, etc.). The most notable and pertinent group of documents found in the caves of Qumran near the Dead Sea is the collection of Old Testament books. Every book from the Hebrew Bible was accounted for among the scrolls except the book of Esther.<ref>Lyons, Eric M.Min. The Da Vinci Code and the Dead Sea Scrolls. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=798 Copyright © 2006 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>}}	+	"Some of the manuscripts were of Jewish apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings (e.g., 1 Enoch, Tobit, and Jubilees); others often are grouped together as “ascetic” writings (miscellaneous books of rules, poetry, commentary, etc.). The most notable and pertinent group of documents found in the caves of Qumran near the Dead Sea is the collection of Old Testament books. Every book from the Hebrew Bible was accounted for among the scrolls except the book of Esther."<ref>Lyons, Eric M.Min. The Da Vinci Code and the Dead Sea Scrolls. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=798 Copyright © 2006 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>

	To attest to the accuracy of the Biblical works of the current day in comparison to the Dead Sea Scrolls:		To attest to the accuracy of the Biblical works of the current day in comparison to the Dead Sea Scrolls:

-	~~{{Quote\|~~Critical scholars questioned the accuracy of the MT, which formed the basis of our English versions of the Old Testament, since there was such a large chronological gap between it and the autographs. Because of this uncertainty, scholars often “corrected” the text with considerable freedom. Qumran, however, has provided remains of an early Masoretic edition predating the Christian era on which the traditional MT [Masoretic] is based. A comparison of the MT to this earlier text revealed the remarkable accuracy with which scribes copied the sacred texts. Accordingly, the integrity of the Hebrew Bible was confirmed, which generally has heightened its respect among scholars and drastically reduced textual alteration.<ref>Brantley, Garry K. M.A., M.Div The Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical Integrity. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=357 Copyright © 1995 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>}}	+	"Critical scholars questioned the accuracy of the MT, which formed the basis of our English versions of the Old Testament, since there was such a large chronological gap between it and the autographs. Because of this uncertainty, scholars often “corrected” the text with considerable freedom. Qumran, however, has provided remains of an early Masoretic edition predating the Christian era on which the traditional MT [Masoretic] is based. A comparison of the MT to this earlier text revealed the remarkable accuracy with which scribes copied the sacred texts. Accordingly, the integrity of the Hebrew Bible was confirmed, which generally has heightened its respect among scholars and drastically reduced textual alteration."<ref>Brantley, Garry K. M.A., M.Div The Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical Integrity. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=357 Copyright © 1995 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>

	Furthermore:		Furthermore:

-	~~{{Quote\|~~As a result of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, scholars now have access to ancient Hebrew manuscripts that are 1,000 years older than the Masoretic Text manuscripts, which has enabled scholars to confirm the incredible accuracy of the Hebrew Text. In fact, a comparison of the standard Hebrew texts with that of the Dead Sea scrolls has revealed that the two are virtually identical. The variations (about 5%) occurred only in minor spelling differences and minute copyists’ mistakes.<ref>Tarpley, Thomas B.S. An Inspiring Glimpse into the	+	"As a result of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, scholars now have access to ancient Hebrew manuscripts that are 1,000 years older than the Masoretic Text manuscripts, which has enabled scholars to confirm the incredible accuracy of the Hebrew Text. In fact, a comparison of the standard Hebrew texts with that of the Dead Sea scrolls has revealed that the two are virtually identical. The variations (about 5%) occurred only in minor spelling differences and minute copyists’ mistakes."<ref>Tarpley, Thomas B.S. An Inspiring Glimpse into the
-	Text of the Dead Sea Scrolls. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=1231 Copyright © 2003 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>}}	+	Text of the Dead Sea Scrolls. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=1231 Copyright © 2003 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>

	As to further expand on the dates of the Dead Sea Scrolls to support the above three quotes:		As to further expand on the dates of the Dead Sea Scrolls to support the above three quotes:

-	~~<ref>~~
-	The second strand of evidence is that the generally accepted dates for the scrolls are corroborated by palaeographical considerations. Palaeography is the study of ancient writing and, more specifically, the shape and style of letters. Characteristic of ancient languages, the manner in which Hebrew and Aramaic letters were written changed over a period of time. The trained eye can determine, within certain boundaries, the time frame of a document based upon the shape of its letters. This is the method by which scholars determine the date of a text on palaeographical grounds. According to this technique, the scripts at Qumran belong to three periods of palaeographical development: (1) a small group of biblical texts whose archaic style reflects the period between about 250-150 B.C.; (2) a large cache of manuscripts, both biblical and non-biblical, that is consistent with a writing style common to the Hasmonean period (c. 150-30 B.C.); and (3) a similarly large number of texts that evinces a writing style characteristic of the Herodian period (30 B.C.-A.D. 70). This linguistic information also is consistent with the commonly accepted dates of the Qumran materials.

-	Finally, as an aside, the carbon-14 tests done on both the cloth in which certain scrolls were wrapped, and the scrolls themselves, generally correspond to the palaeographic dates. There are, however, some considerable differences. Due to the inexact nature of carbon-14 dating techniques (see Major, 1993), and the possibility of chemical contamination, scholars place greater confidence in the historically corroborated palaeographic dates (see Shanks, 1991, 17[6]:72). At any rate, the archaeological and linguistic data provide scholars with reasonable confidence that the scrolls date from 250 B.C. to A.D. 70.<ref>Brantley, Garry K. M.A., M.Div The Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical Integrity. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=357 Copyright © 1995 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>}}	+	"The second strand of evidence is that the generally accepted dates for the scrolls are corroborated by palaeographical considerations. Palaeography is the study of ancient writing and, more specifically, the shape and style of letters. Characteristic of ancient languages, the manner in which Hebrew and Aramaic letters were written changed over a period of time. The trained eye can determine, within certain boundaries, the time frame of a document based upon the shape of its letters. This is the method by which scholars determine the date of a text on palaeographical grounds. According to this technique, the scripts at Qumran belong to three periods of palaeographical development: (1) a small group of biblical texts whose archaic style reflects the period between about 250-150 B.C.; (2) a large cache of manuscripts, both biblical and non-biblical, that is consistent with a writing style common to the Hasmonean period (c. 150-30 B.C.); and (3) a similarly large number of texts that evinces a writing style characteristic of the Herodian period (30 B.C.-A.D. 70). This linguistic information also is consistent with the commonly accepted dates of the Qumran materials.
		+
		+	Finally, as an aside, the carbon-14 tests done on both the cloth in which certain scrolls were wrapped, and the scrolls themselves, generally correspond to the palaeographic dates. There are, however, some considerable differences. Due to the inexact nature of carbon-14 dating techniques (see Major, 1993), and the possibility of chemical contamination, scholars place greater confidence in the historically corroborated palaeographic dates (see Shanks, 1991, 17[6]:72). At any rate, the archaeological and linguistic data provide scholars with reasonable confidence that the scrolls date from 250 B.C. to A.D. 70."<ref>Brantley, Garry K. M.A., M.Div The Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical Integrity. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=357 Copyright © 1995 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>

	== Frequency of books found ==		== Frequency of books found ==

Boat209850892086: /* Significance to the Canon of the Bible */ the "significant witness to the mutability of biblical texts" false and replacing it (small devaitions have not been found significant in meaning/doctrine)

Boat209850892086 — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 07:16:05 GMT

Significance to the Canon of the Bible: the "significant witness to the mutability of biblical texts" false and replacing it (small devaitions have not been found significant in meaning/doctrine)

←Older revision		Revision as of 07:16, 17 March 2012
Line 149:		Line 149:
	The significance of the scrolls relates in a large part to the field of textual criticism. Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest Hebrew manuscripts of the Bible were [[Masoretic]] texts dating to 9th century AD. The biblical manuscripts found among the Dead Sea Scrolls push that date back a millennium to the 2nd century BC. Before this discovery, the earliest extant manuscripts of the Old Testament were in Greek in manuscripts such as [[Codex Vaticanus Graecus 1209]] and [[Codex Sinaiticus]].		The significance of the scrolls relates in a large part to the field of textual criticism. Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest Hebrew manuscripts of the Bible were [[Masoretic]] texts dating to 9th century AD. The biblical manuscripts found among the Dead Sea Scrolls push that date back a millennium to the 2nd century BC. Before this discovery, the earliest extant manuscripts of the Old Testament were in Greek in manuscripts such as [[Codex Vaticanus Graecus 1209]] and [[Codex Sinaiticus]].

-	~~About 35%~~ of the ~~DSS biblical~~ manuscripts ~~belong to~~ the ~~Masoretic tradition~~, 5% to the ~~Septuagint family~~, and ~~5% to~~ the ~~Samaritan~~, ~~with~~ the ~~remainder unaligned~~. ~~The non-aligned fall into two categories~~, ~~those inconsistent in agreeing~~ with ~~other known types~~, and ~~those that diverge significantly from all other known readings~~. The ~~DSS thus form~~ a ~~significant witness~~ to the ~~mutability~~ of ~~biblical~~ texts ~~at this period~~.<ref>~~Emanuel Tov~~, ~~"Textual Criticism~~ of the ~~Hebrew Bible" (Minneapolis~~: ~~Fortress~~ Press, ~~2001 2nd revised edition) ISBN 0800634292~~</ref> ~~The [[sectarian]] texts among~~ the Dead Sea Scrolls, ~~most~~ of which were ~~previously unknown~~, ~~offer new light~~ on ~~one form~~ of ~~[[Jew\|Judaism]] practiced during~~ the [~~[Second Temple~~]~~] period~~.	+	Although an official cannon was made later in history (after the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls), the Dead Sea Scrolls show how accurately the books of the Bible were transmitted through history. The Dead Sea Scrolls contains Biblical literature which predates the New Testament period altogether. The four quotes below shows this:
		+
		+	{{Quote\|Some of the manuscripts were of Jewish apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings (e.g., 1 Enoch, Tobit, and Jubilees); others often are grouped together as “ascetic” writings (miscellaneous books of rules, poetry, commentary, etc.). The most notable and pertinent group of documents found in the caves of Qumran near the Dead Sea is the collection of Old Testament books. Every book from the Hebrew Bible was accounted for among the scrolls except the book of Esther.<ref>Lyons, Eric M.Min. The Da Vinci Code and the Dead Sea Scrolls. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=798 Copyright © 2006 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>}}
		+
		+	To attest to the accuracy of the Biblical works of the current day in comparison to the Dead Sea Scrolls:
		+
		+	{{Quote\|Critical scholars questioned the accuracy of the MT, which formed the basis of our English versions of the Old Testament, since there was such a large chronological gap between it and the autographs. Because of this uncertainty, scholars often “corrected” the text with considerable freedom. Qumran, however, has provided remains of an early Masoretic edition predating the Christian era on which the traditional MT [Masoretic] is based. A comparison of the MT to this earlier text revealed the remarkable accuracy with which scribes copied the sacred texts. Accordingly, the integrity of the Hebrew Bible was confirmed, which generally has heightened its respect among scholars and drastically reduced textual alteration.<ref>Brantley, Garry K. M.A., M.Div The Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical Integrity. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=357 Copyright © 1995 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>}}
		+
		+	Furthermore:
		+
		+	{{Quote\|As a result of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, scholars now have access to ancient Hebrew manuscripts that are 1,000 years older than the Masoretic Text manuscripts, which has enabled scholars to confirm the incredible accuracy of the Hebrew Text. In fact, a comparison of the standard Hebrew texts with that of the Dead Sea scrolls has revealed that the two are virtually identical. The variations (about 5%) occurred only in minor spelling differences and minute copyists’ mistakes.<ref>Tarpley, Thomas B.S. An Inspiring Glimpse into the
		+	Text of the Dead Sea Scrolls. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=1231 Copyright © 2003 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>}}
		+
		+	As to further expand on the dates of the Dead Sea Scrolls to support the above three quotes:
		+
		+	<ref>
		+	The second strand of evidence is that the generally accepted dates for the scrolls are corroborated by palaeographical considerations. Palaeography is the study of ancient writing and, more specifically, the shape and style of letters. Characteristic of ancient languages, the manner in which Hebrew and Aramaic letters were written changed over a period of time. The trained eye can determine, within certain boundaries, the time frame of a document based upon the shape of its letters. This is the method by which scholars determine the date of a text on palaeographical grounds. According to this technique, the scripts at Qumran belong to three periods of palaeographical development: (1) a small group of biblical texts whose archaic style reflects the period between about 250-150 B.C.; (2) a large cache of manuscripts, both biblical and non-biblical, that is consistent with a writing style common to the Hasmonean period (c. 150-30 B.C.); and (3) a similarly large number of texts that evinces a writing style characteristic of the Herodian period (30 B.C.-A.D. 70). This linguistic information also is consistent with the commonly accepted dates of the Qumran materials.
		+
		+	Finally, as an aside, the carbon-14 tests done on both the cloth in which certain scrolls were wrapped, and the scrolls themselves, generally correspond to the palaeographic dates. There are, however, some considerable differences. Due to the inexact nature of carbon-14 dating techniques (see Major, 1993), and the possibility of chemical contamination, scholars place greater confidence in the historically corroborated palaeographic dates (see Shanks, 1991, 17[6]:72). At any rate, the archaeological and linguistic data provide scholars with reasonable confidence that the scrolls date from 250 B.C. to A.D. 70.<ref>Brantley, Garry K. M.A., M.Div The Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical Integrity. site: http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=357 Copyright © 1995 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Accessed: March 14, 2012</ref>}}

	== Frequency of books found ==		== Frequency of books found ==

←Older revision		Revision as of 09:09, 4 March 2017
Line 1:		Line 1:
	[[Image:Psalms Scroll.jpg\|right\|thumb\|300px\|The Psalms Scroll with transcription.]]		[[Image:Psalms Scroll.jpg\|right\|thumb\|300px\|The Psalms Scroll with transcription.]]
-	The '''Dead Sea scrolls''' consist of about ~~900~~ documents, including texts from the [[Hebrew Bible]], discovered between [[1947 AD\|1947]] and [[1956 AD\|1956]] in eleven [[The Qumran Caves\|cave]]s in and around the [[Qumran]] [[Wadi]] near the ruins of the ancient settlement of [[Qumran\|Khirbet Qumran]], on the northwest shore of the [[Dead Sea]].	+	The '''Dead Sea scrolls''' consist of about 981 documents, including texts from the [[Hebrew Bible]], discovered between [[1947 AD\|1947]] and [[1956 AD\|1956]] in eleven [[The Qumran Caves\|cave]]s in and around the [[Qumran]] [[Wadi]] near the ruins of the ancient settlement of [[Qumran\|Khirbet Qumran]], on the northwest shore of the [[Dead Sea]].

	The texts are of great religious and historical significance, as they include some of the only known surviving copies of Biblical documents made before 100 BCE and preserve evidence of late [[Second Temple]] [[Judaism]]. They are written in [[Hebrew]], [[Aramaic]] and [[Koine Greek\|Greek]], mostly on [[parchment]], but with some written on [[papyrus]].<sup>[1]</sup> These manuscripts generally date between [[150 BC\|150 BCE]] to [[70 AD\|70 CE]].<sup>[2]</sup> The scrolls are most commonly identified with the ancient [[Jew]]ish [[sect]] called the [[Essenes]], though some recent interpretations have challenged their association with the scrolls.<sup>[3]</sup> Still, these represent a minority view, as references in ancient texts from [[Josephus]], [[Philo]], and [[Pliny]] all discuss the Essenes, with Pliny identifying the center of Essene activity on the west side of the Dead Sea, exactly where the scrolls were found.<sup>[4]</sup> Moreover, Philo and Josephus both extensively describe the customs and beliefs of the Essenes, in many cases closely matching information found in the scrolls themselves.<sup>[5]</sup> This is not surprising, since Josephus reports in his ''Life'' that at the age of sixteen he became an Essene neophyte for three years.<sup>[6]</sup>		The texts are of great religious and historical significance, as they include some of the only known surviving copies of Biblical documents made before 100 BCE and preserve evidence of late [[Second Temple]] [[Judaism]]. They are written in [[Hebrew]], [[Aramaic]] and [[Koine Greek\|Greek]], mostly on [[parchment]], but with some written on [[papyrus]].<sup>[1]</sup> These manuscripts generally date between [[150 BC\|150 BCE]] to [[70 AD\|70 CE]].<sup>[2]</sup> The scrolls are most commonly identified with the ancient [[Jew]]ish [[sect]] called the [[Essenes]], though some recent interpretations have challenged their association with the scrolls.<sup>[3]</sup> Still, these represent a minority view, as references in ancient texts from [[Josephus]], [[Philo]], and [[Pliny]] all discuss the Essenes, with Pliny identifying the center of Essene activity on the west side of the Dead Sea, exactly where the scrolls were found.<sup>[4]</sup> Moreover, Philo and Josephus both extensively describe the customs and beliefs of the Essenes, in many cases closely matching information found in the scrolls themselves.<sup>[5]</sup> This is not surprising, since Josephus reports in his ''Life'' that at the age of sixteen he became an Essene neophyte for three years.<sup>[6]</sup>

←Older revision		Revision as of 11:08, 17 March 2012
Line 1:		Line 1:
-	[[~~image~~:Psalms Scroll.jpg\|right\|thumb\|300px\|The Psalms Scroll with transcription.]]	+	[[Image:Psalms Scroll.jpg\|right\|thumb\|300px\|The Psalms Scroll with transcription.]]
	The '''Dead Sea scrolls''' consist of about 900 documents, including texts from the [[Hebrew Bible]], discovered between [[1947 AD\|1947]] and [[1956 AD\|1956]] in eleven [[The Qumran Caves\|cave]]s in and around the [[Qumran]] [[Wadi]] near the ruins of the ancient settlement of [[Qumran\|Khirbet Qumran]], on the northwest shore of the [[Dead Sea]].		The '''Dead Sea scrolls''' consist of about 900 documents, including texts from the [[Hebrew Bible]], discovered between [[1947 AD\|1947]] and [[1956 AD\|1956]] in eleven [[The Qumran Caves\|cave]]s in and around the [[Qumran]] [[Wadi]] near the ruins of the ancient settlement of [[Qumran\|Khirbet Qumran]], on the northwest shore of the [[Dead Sea]].

Line 9:		Line 9:

	Publication of the scrolls has taken many decades, and the delay has been a source of academic controversy. As of 2007 two volumes remain to be completed, with the whole series, ''[[Discoveries in the Judean Desert]]'', running to thirty-nine volumes in total. Many of the scrolls are now housed in the [[Shrine of the Book]] in [[Jerusalem]], while others are housed in the [[University of Chicago]]'s [[Oriental Institute, Chicago\|Oriental Institute]], [[Princeton Theological Seminary]], [[Azusa Pacific University]], and in the hands of private collectors. According to ''The Oxford Companion to Archeology'', "The biblical manuscripts from Qumran, which include at least fragments from every book of the [[Old Testament]], except perhaps for the [[Book of Esther]], provide a far older cross section of scriptural tradition than that available to scholars before. About 35% of the [[Qumran]] biblical manuscripts are nearly identical to the [[Masoretic]], or traditional, Hebrew text of the [[Old Testament]] and 10% to the Greek and Samaritan traditions, with the remainder exhibiting sometimes dramatic differences in both language and content. In their range of textual variants, the Qumran biblical discoveries have prompted scholars to reconsider the once-accepted theories of the development of the modern biblical text from only three manuscript families: of the [[Masoretic text]], of the [[Hebrew]] original of the [[Septuagint]], and of the [[Samaritan Pentateuch]]. It is now becoming increasingly clear that the [[Old Testament]] scripture was extremely fluid until its [[Biblical canon\|canonization]] around 100 AD."<sup>[]</sup>		Publication of the scrolls has taken many decades, and the delay has been a source of academic controversy. As of 2007 two volumes remain to be completed, with the whole series, ''[[Discoveries in the Judean Desert]]'', running to thirty-nine volumes in total. Many of the scrolls are now housed in the [[Shrine of the Book]] in [[Jerusalem]], while others are housed in the [[University of Chicago]]'s [[Oriental Institute, Chicago\|Oriental Institute]], [[Princeton Theological Seminary]], [[Azusa Pacific University]], and in the hands of private collectors. According to ''The Oxford Companion to Archeology'', "The biblical manuscripts from Qumran, which include at least fragments from every book of the [[Old Testament]], except perhaps for the [[Book of Esther]], provide a far older cross section of scriptural tradition than that available to scholars before. About 35% of the [[Qumran]] biblical manuscripts are nearly identical to the [[Masoretic]], or traditional, Hebrew text of the [[Old Testament]] and 10% to the Greek and Samaritan traditions, with the remainder exhibiting sometimes dramatic differences in both language and content. In their range of textual variants, the Qumran biblical discoveries have prompted scholars to reconsider the once-accepted theories of the development of the modern biblical text from only three manuscript families: of the [[Masoretic text]], of the [[Hebrew]] original of the [[Septuagint]], and of the [[Samaritan Pentateuch]]. It is now becoming increasingly clear that the [[Old Testament]] scripture was extremely fluid until its [[Biblical canon\|canonization]] around 100 AD."<sup>[]</sup>
-	[[~~File~~:Deadseascrolls.jpg\|thumb\|300px\|Fragments of the scrolls on display at the Archaeological Museum, Amman]]	+	[[Image:Deadseascrolls.jpg\|thumb\|300px\|Fragments of the scrolls on display at the Archaeological Museum, Amman]]

	==Discovery==		==Discovery==
-	[[~~image~~:Qumran.jpeg\|thumb\|The caves in which the scrolls were found]]	+	[[Image:Qumran.jpeg\|thumb\|The caves in which the scrolls were found]]
-	[[~~image~~:QumranLivingQuarters.jpg\|thumb\|Remains of the west wing of the main building at Qumran.]]	+	[[Image:QumranLivingQuarters.jpg\|thumb\|Remains of the west wing of the main building at Qumran.]]
	The settlement of Qumran is 1 km inland from the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. The scrolls were found in eleven caves nearby, between 125m (Cave 4) and 1 km (Cave 1) away. None were found within the settlement, unless it originally encompassed the caves. In the winter of 1946–47, [[Muhammed edh-Dhib]] and his cousin discovered the caves, and soon afterwards the scrolls.		The settlement of Qumran is 1 km inland from the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. The scrolls were found in eleven caves nearby, between 125m (Cave 4) and 1 km (Cave 1) away. None were found within the settlement, unless it originally encompassed the caves. In the winter of 1946–47, [[Muhammed edh-Dhib]] and his cousin discovered the caves, and soon afterwards the scrolls.

Line 28:		Line 28:
	Dr. Trever, a keen amateur photographer, met with Mar Samuel on February 21, 1948, when he photographed the scrolls. The quality of his photographs often exceeded the visibility of the scrolls themselves over the years, as the ink of the texts quickly deteriorated after they were removed from their linen wrappings.		Dr. Trever, a keen amateur photographer, met with Mar Samuel on February 21, 1948, when he photographed the scrolls. The quality of his photographs often exceeded the visibility of the scrolls themselves over the years, as the ink of the texts quickly deteriorated after they were removed from their linen wrappings.

-	[[~~File~~:DSS ad.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Ad for "Dead Sea Scrolls" in the Wall Street Journal]]	+	[[Image:DSS ad.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Ad for "Dead Sea Scrolls" in the Wall Street Journal]]

	The scrolls were analyzed using a [[cyclotron]] at the [[University of California]], [[Davis, California\|Davis]] where it was found that the black ink used was [[iron-gall ink]].<sup>[]</sup> The red ink on the scrolls was [[cinnabar]] (HgS, mercury sulfide).<sup>[]</sup>		The scrolls were analyzed using a [[cyclotron]] at the [[University of California]], [[Davis, California\|Davis]] where it was found that the black ink used was [[iron-gall ink]].<sup>[]</sup> The red ink on the scrolls was [[cinnabar]] (HgS, mercury sulfide).<sup>[]</sup>