Dead Sea scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls comprise roughly 850 documents, including texts from the Hebrew Bible, discovered between 1947 and 1956 in eleven caves in and around the Wadi Qumran (near the ruins of the ancient settlement of Khirbet Qumran, on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea). The texts are of great significance in a religious context (as well as a political context), as they are practically the only remaining Biblical documents dating from before AD 100.

Significance

Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest Hebrew manuscripts of the Bible were Masoretic texts dating to 9th century. The biblical manuscripts found among the Dead Sea Scrolls push that date back to the 2nd century BC. Although some of the biblical manuscripts found at Qumran differ significantly from the Masoretic text, most do not. This offers text critics the opportunity to find new variants and the ability to be more confident of those readings where the Dead Sea manuscripts agree with the Masoretic text.

Related Topics:
Masoretic - 9th century - 2nd century BC - Text critics

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Further, the sectarian texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls, most of which were previously unknown, offer new light on one form of Judaism practiced in the Second Temple period.

Related Topics:
Sectarian - Second Temple

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