As we stated last month the Dead Sea Scrolls were the library of the community of Qumran. Many of the scrolls found deal with the daily life and rules of organization for the settlement. Fortunately, Qumran was a very religious community. Much of the time of the scribes was spent in studying and copying the books of the Law of Moses and the prophets. The scrolls which have been found can thus be separated into two categories. First, there are those which deal with life of the ancient people and were composed and written by them during the days of their sojourn. Second, there were the books of scripture which the leaders of the community read and studied, made interpretations of and copied.
Let us consider the writings of the community. One of the most interesting is called the Manual of Discipline. This is a very complete set of rules giving procedures to follow for almost every facet of their communal life. It gives the requirements for entering the community, divides among the inhabitants the work necessary for the smooth functioning of the settlement, sets forth punishment for violation of the laws, outlines the various religious practices and services and generally outlines all of the functions of a very strict religious community. It can be compared, and was probably patterned after the Law of Moses. It is not, however, nearly as comprehensive as its divine counterpart.
Another document is the Order of Warfare. This is a description of a war between the tribes of Levi, Judah and Benjamin on one hand and the people of Ammon, Moab and Edom on the other. There is also considerable space devoted to describing the preparations that should be made for a future war between the sons of light and the sons of darkness. The book seems to be a mixture of real events and spiritual interpretations.
One roll contained thanksgiving hymns that were sung by the people when they gathered together on occasions devoted to giving thanks to God.
The copper rolls we described last month contain records of over sixty hoards of treasure deposited in various places in Palestine. The descriptions are rather vague and the landmarks described are no longer in existence, so it is impossible to discern whether the records are truth or fiction.
Of greatest interest to Biblical students are the Scriptural books found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. As previously mentioned one leather scroll contains the entire prophecy of Isaiah. It has come to us in almost a perfect state of preservation. Its worn and soiled back shows it was read and reread by the scholars of Qumran. Another scroll contains two of the three chapters of Habakkuk along with an interpretation of the prophecy. Thirteen separate manuscripts containing the book of Deuteronomy and ten manuscripts of the Psalms have been found. These were evidently their favorite books of Scripture. Complete copies of several other scriptural books have been brought to light and portions of every Old Testament book except Esther have been discovered.
It is quite evident from the care with which these scrolls were wrapped, placed in the jars and hidden in caves at some distance from the town that they were some of the people’s most treasured possessions. The excavations of the town of Qumran have turned up a large room equipped with many tables which it is believed was used for the sole purpose of copying the scrolls. By having one person read and several write, many copies could be produced at one time.
Establishing the correct date of the Dead Sea Scrolls is very important. It is from the evidence we have at hand that archeologists can say with surety that these scrolls are the oldest Hebrew scriptural manuscripts in man’s possession.
Let us first establish the latest date for the origin of the scrolls. It is quite evident that the scrolls were produced by the religious community of Qumran. This fact is confirmed by the fact that jars of exactly the same size and shape as those in which the scrolls were deposited were found in the ruins of the city. Coins found in the upper level of the ruins and other evidence show that the town was occupied by Roman soldiers from A.D. 68 to A.D. 86. The next lower level shows an entirely different kind of life— the life of the religious community of Qumran. The most recent coins found in this level bear the date of A.D. 68. The evidence is very plain. The religious community was destroyed by the Roman armies in A.D. 68 and then rebuilt and the area used for a Roman garrison. Thus it has been established beyond a reasonable doubt that the scrolls were written before A.D. 68.
The earliest date indicated by coins found in the Qumran ruins is 135 B.C. indicating the town was established about this date. The scrolls could have been produced earlier than this and have been brought with the settlers when they established the community.
A very reliable method of dating organic material has been developed by chemists. It is called the radio carbon dating method. Using this method the chemist can determine within plus or minus ten per cent how long a once-live organic material has been dead. The test was performed on the linen which covered the scrolls in the jars. The date given is from 233 A.D. to 167 B.C.
Paleography is the science of comparing the style, letter shape and forms of ancient writings. By comparing the Dead Sea Scrolls with writings of known date, their date can be estimated by the paleographer. It was through this means that Professor Al-bright placed a date of 150 B.C. on the Isaiah manuscript. He also dates the book of Habakkuk at 25 B.C. and the Manual of Discipline at 75 B.C. Some other manuscripts found in caves approximately 12 miles south of Qumran have helped immeasurably in the paleographic work. These manuscripts were written in the second century A.D. and there is no doubt about their date for it is written right on them.
The study of pottery is another way in which dates can be estimated. The composition of the clay, the style and form of the pottery are all clues which help in identifying the time when the pottery was produced. The jars found at Qumran and in the caves were produced in the early Roman period.
Thus through the evidence of coins, paleography, radio carbon dating and pottery study the date of the Dead Sea Scrolls can be firmly established between 175 B.C. and 68 A.D.
Next month we will discuss the remarkable community of Qumran which acted as custodian of the scrolls for many years.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One