The Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls are a set of scrolls, fragments of papyrus, scrolls, etc., found in the caves of Qumran, along the cliffs of the northwest corner of the Dead Sea, in Israel. They were first discovered by a Bedouin shepherd in 1947. The manuscripts from Cave 1 were 1,000 years older than any known manuscripts at the time, dating back to about 500 B.C.

It is commonly asserted by scholars throughout the world that the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls has changed the way we view the Bible and the Christian and Jewish faiths forever.

English Translations of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Catalog of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Qumran Cave 1 (1Q), 1947, 1949
- 1Q1 Genesis
- 1Q2 Exodus
- 1Q3 PaleoLeviticus-Numbers
- 1Q4 Deuteronomya
- 1Q5 Deuteronomyb
- 1Q6 Judges
- 1Q7, 1 & 2 Samuel
- 1Q8, Isaiah (fragments)
- 1Q9 Ezekiel
- 1Q10 Psalmsa
- 1Q11 Psalmsb
- 1Q12 Psalmsc
- 1Q13, Phylactery
- 1Q14, Commentary on Micah
- 1Q15, Commentary on Zephanaiah
- 1Q16, 4Q171, 4Q173, Commentaries on Psalm
- 1Q17 - 18, Book of Jubilees
- 1Q19, Book of Noah
- 1Q20, 1QapGen, Genesis Apocryphon/Tales of the Patriarchs
- 1Q21, Geniza Fragments, Mt. Athos Greek text, 4Q213-214, 4Q540-541, Testament of Levi
- 1Q22, The Words of Moses
- 1Q23 - 24, The Book of Giants (also 2Q26, 4Q203, 4Q530-532, 6Q8)
- 1Q25, Apocryphal Prophecy
- 1Q26, Wisdom Text
- 1Q27, 4Q299-301, The Book of Secrets
- 1Q28b, 1QSa, 1QSb, Priestly Blessings for the Last Days
- 1Q29, 4Q376, Tongues of Fire
- 1Q30 - 31, Liturgical Texts
- 1Q32, 11Q18, 2Q24, 4Q554-555, 5Ql5, A Vision of the New Jerusalem
- 1Q33, 1QM, 4Q491-496, The War Scroll
- 1Q34, lQ34bis, 4Q507-509, Festival Prayers
- 1Q35, 1QH, Thanksgiving Scroll (Hodayot)
- 1Q36-40, Hymns
- 1Q41 - 62, Unidentified Hebrew Fragments
- 1Q63 - 68, Unidentified Aramaic Fragments
- 1Q69, Unidentified Hebrew Fragment
- 1Q70, Unidentified Papyrus Fragment
- 1Q71-72, Daniel (link)
- 1QpHab, Pesher Habakkuk
- 1QIsa, Isaiah (A & B) (view)
- 1QS, Community Rule (view, link)
Qumran Cave 2 (2Q), 1952
- 2Q1 Genesis
- 2Q2 Exodusa
- 2Q3 Exodusb
- 2Q4 Exodusc
- 2Q5 PaleoLeviticus
- 2Q6 Numbersa
- 2Q7 Numbersb
- 2Q8 Numbersc
- 2Q9 Numbersd
- 2Q10 Deuteronomya
- 2Q11 Deuteronomyb
- 2Q12 Deuteronomyc
- 2Q13 Jeremiah
- 2Q14 Psalms
- 2Q15 Job
- 2Q16 - 17, Ruth
- 2Q18, Ben Sira
- 2Q19 - 20, Book of Jubilees
- 2Q21, Moses Apocryphon
- 2Q22, 4Q371-373, Stories About the Tribes of Israel
- 2Q23, Apocryphal Prophecy
- 2Q24, lQ32, 4Q554-555, 5Ql5, llQl8, A Vision of the New Jerusalem
- 2Q26, lQ23, 4Q203, 4Q530-532, 6Q8, The Book of Giants
- 2Q27 - 33, Unidentified Small Fragments
Qumran Cave 3 (3Q), 1952
- 3Q1 Ezekiel
- 3Q2 Psalms
- 3Q3 Lamentations
- 3Q4, Commentary on Isaiah
- 3Q5, Book of Jubilees
- 3Q6, Hymn
- 3Q7, Testament of Judah?
- 3Q8, Text Mentioning the Angel of Peace
- 3Q9, Sectarian text?
- 3Q10 - 11, Small unidentified Hebrew fragments
- 3Q12 - 13, Small unidentified Aramaic fragments
- 3Q14, Unidentified fragments
- 3Q15, A List of Buried Treasure-The Copper Scroll
Qumran Cave 4 (4Q), 1952
- 4Q1 Genesis-Exodusa
- 4Q2 - 10, Genesis
- 4Q11 Paleo Genesis-Exodus l
- 4Q12 PaleoGenesism
- 4Q13 - 16, Exodus
- 4Q17 Exodus-Leviticusf
- 4Q17 Exodus-Leviticusf
- 4Q18 - 21, Exodus
- 4Q22 Paleo Exodus
- 4Q23 Leviticus-Numbers a
- 4Q24 - 26, Leviticus
- 4Q27 Numbersb
- 4Q28 - 44, Deuteronomy
- 4Q45 - 46, PaleoDeuteronomy
- 4Q47 - 48, Joshuaa
- 4Q49 - 50, Judges
- 4Q54 Kings
- 4Q57 - 68, Isaiah
- 4Q69 Papyrus Isaiah
- 4Q70 - 72 Jeremiah
- 4Q73 - 75, Ezekiel
- 4Q76 - 82, Minor Prophets
- 4Q83 - 88 Psalms
- 4Q88, 4Q488, 11Q5-6, Apocryphal Psalms of David
- 4Q88, Apocryphal Psalms
- 4Q89 - 98, Psalms
- 4Q99 - 100, Job
- 4Q101, Paleo Job c
- 4Q102 - 103, Proverbs
- 4Q104 - 105, Ruth
- 4Q106 - 108, Canticles
- 4Q109 - 110, Ecclesiastes
- 4Q111, Lamentations
- 4Q112 - 116, Daniel
- 4Q117, Ezra
- 4Q118, Chronicles
- 4Q119, Septuagint Leviticus b
- 4Q120, Septuagint Leviticus a
- 4Q121, Septuagint Numbers
- 4Q122, Septuagint Deuteronomy
- 4Q158, A Reworking of Genesis and Exodus
- 4Q159, 4Q513-514, Ordinances
- 4Q16O, An Account of the Story of Samuel
- 4Q161 - 165, Commentaries on Isaiah
- 4Q166 - 167, A Commentary on Hosea
- 4Q169, A Commentary on Nahum (link)
- 4Q171, 4Q173, 1Q16, Commentaries on Psalms (link)
- 4Q174, The Last Days: A Commentary on Selected Verses
- 4Q175, A Collection of Messianic Proof Texts
- 4Q176, A Commentary on Consoling Passages in Scripture
- 4Q177, The Last Days: An Interpretation of Selected Verses
- 4Q179, A Lament for Zion
- 4Q180-181, The Ages of Creation
- 4Q181, The Wicked and the Holy
- 4Q183, A Sectarian History
- 4Q184, Wiles of the Wicked Woman
- 4Q185, In Praise of Wisdom
- 4Q186, A Horoscope Written in Code
- 4Q196 - 200, Book of Tobit
- 4Q201, Book of Enoch
- 4Q203, 4Q530-532, lQ23, 2Q26, 6Q8, The Book of Giants
- 4Q209, The Astronomical Book of Enoch
- 4Q213 - 214, 1Q21, Testament of Levi
- 4Q215, Time of Righteousness, Testament of Naphtali
- 4Q213-214, 4Q540-541, lQ21, Geniza Fragments, Mt. Athos Greek text, The Words of Levi
- 4Q225, A Paraphrase of Genesis and Exodus
- 4Q226, Israel and the Holy Land
- 4Q227, Enoch and the Watchers
- 4Q242, The Healing of King Nabonidus
- 4Q243 - 245, The Vision of Daniel
- 4Q246, A Vision of the Son of God
- 4Q247, Apocalyptic Chronology
- 4Q248, The Acts of a King
- 4Q251, A Commentary on the Law of Moses
- 4Q252-254a, Commentaries on Genesis
- 4Q255-264a, 1QS, 5Ql1, Charter of a Jewish Sectarian Association
- 4Q265, Portions of Sectarian Law
- 4Q266-272, Geniza A + B, The Damascus Document
- 4Q274, Ritual Purity Laws Concerning Liquids
- 4Q275, Rule of Initiation
- 4Q276-277, The Ashes of the Red Heifer
- 4Q278, Ritual Purity Laws Concerning Menstruation
- 4Q279, Laws Concerning Lots
- 4Q280, 4Q286-289, A Liturgy of Blessing and Cursing
- 4Q284, Laws for Purification
- 4Q284a, Laws About Gleaning
- 4Q285, 11Q14, The War of the Messiah
- 4Q298, The Sage to the “Children of Dawn”
- 4Q299, The Book of Mysteries
- 4Q299-301, 1Q27, The Book of Secrets
- 4Q302, The Parable of the Bountiful Tree
- 4Q317, The Phases of the Moon
- 4Q318, A Divination Text (Brontologion)
- 4Q319, Calendar of the Heavenly Signs
- 4Q320-321a, Synchronistic Calendars
- 4Q322-324b, An Annalistic Calendar
- 4Q325, Priestly Service: Sabbath, Month, and Festival-Year One
- 4Q326, Priestly Service: Sabbath, Month, and Festival-Year Four
- 4Q327, 4Q394 Section A, The Sabbaths and Festivals of the year
- 4Q328, Priestly Service As the Seasons Change
- 4Q329, Priestly Rotation on the Sabbath
- 4Q329a, Priestly Service on the Passover
- 4Q330, Priestly Service on New Year's Day
- 4Q334, A Liturgical Calendar
- 4Q339, False Prophets in Israel
- 4Q340, List of Temple Servants
- 4Q364-365, An Annotated Law of Moses
- 4Q369, Prayer of Enosh and Enoch
- 4Q370, A Sermon on the Flood
- 4Q371-373, 2Q22, Stories About the Tribes of Israel
- 4Q373, David Apocryphon
- 4Q374, A Discourse on the Exodus and Conquest
- 4Q375, The Test of a True Prophet
- 4Q376, lQ29, Tongues of Fire
- 4Q377, A Moses Apocryphon
- 4Q378-379, Psalms of Joshua
- 4Q380, 4Q381, A Collection of Royal Psalms
- 4Q382, An Apocryphon of Elijah
- 4Q384-390, Prophetic Apocryphon
- 4Q392, God the Creator
- 4Q393, Prayers for Forgiveness
- 4Q394 - 399, 4QMMT, A Sectarian Manifesto
- 4Q397 - 399, 4QMMT, The Second Letter on Works Reckoned as Righteousness
- 4Q400-407, 11Q17, Masada Fragment, The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice
- 4Q408, Prayer of Praise
- 4Q409, A Liturgy
- 4Q410,4Q412-413,4Q415-421,4Q423, lQ26, The Secret of the Way Things Are
- 4Q414, A Baptismal Liturgy
- 4Q422, A Commentary on Genesis and Exodus
- 4Q424, A Collection of Proverbs
- 4Q427-432, 4QH, Thanksgiving Hymns (link)
- 4Q434,4Q436,4Q437,4Q439, In Praise of God's Grace-Barki Nafsizi
- 4Q443, Hymns of Thanksgiving
- 4Q444, Meditation of the Sage
- 4Q448, In Praise of King Jonathan
- 4Q488, 4Q88, 11Q5-6, Apocryphal Psalms of David
- 4Q462, Meditation on Israel's History
- 4Q464, Lives of the Patriarchs
- 4Q470, The Archangel Michael and King Zedekiah
- 4Q471, Assorted Manuscripts
- 4Q473, The Two Ways
- 4Q475, The Renewed Earth
- 4Q477, A Record of Disciplinary Action
- 4Q483 Genesis
- 4Q491-496, 1QMI, The War Scroll
- 4Q501, A Prayer for Deliverance
- 4Q502, A Liturgy of Thanksgiving
- 4Q503, Daily Prayers
- 4Q504-506, The Words of the Heavenly Lights
- 4Q507-509, lQ34, lQ34bis, Festival Prayers
- 4Q510-511, The Songs of the Sage for Protection Against Evil Spirits
- 4Q512, A Purification Ritual
- 4Q521, Messianic Apocalypse
- 4Q522 Psalms
- 4Q522, A Tale of Joshua
- 4Q525, The Blessings of the Wise
- 4Q529, The Words of the Archangel Michael
- 4Q534-536, The Book of Noah
- 4Q537, The Vision of Jacob
- 4Q538, An Apocryphon of Judah
- 4Q539, The Last Words of Joseph
- 4Q540, 4Q541, Testament of Jacob
- 4Q542, Testament of Kohath
- 4Q543-548, The Vision of Amram
- 4Q549, Hur and Miriam
- 4Q55 Isaiah a
- 4Q550a-f, The Tale of Bagasraw
- 4Q552-553, The Vision of the Four Trees
- 4Q554-555, lQ32, 2Q24, 5Ql5, llQl8, A Vision of the New Jerusalem
- 4Q559, A Biblical Chronology
- 4Q56 Isaiah b
- 4Q560, An Exorcism
- 4Q561, An Aramaic Horoscope
- 4Q562, An Aramaic Text on the Persian Period
- 4Q563, A Priestly Vision
- 4Q576 Genesis n
- 4Q577, Text mentioning the Flood
- 4Q578, Historical Text
- 4Q579, Hymn
- 4Q580, Unidentified aramaic text
- 4Q581, Testament?
- 4Q582, Unidentified aramaic text
Qumran Cave 5 (5Q), 1952
- Fragments of 25 parchment scrolls, Biblical and sectarian texts
- 5Q1, Deuteronomy
- 5Q2, Kings
- 5Q3, Isaiah
- 5Q4, Amos
- 5Q5, Psalms
- 5Q6, Lamentationsa
- 5Q7, Lamentationsb
- 5Q8, Phylactery
- 5Q9, Place-names
- 5Q10, Apocryphal Malachi
- 5Q11, 1QS, 4Q255-264a, Charter of a Jewish Sectarian Association
- 5Q12, Damascus
- 5Q13, Fragment similar to S (5Q11)
- 5Q14, Liturgical Curses
- 5Q15, 1Q32, 2Q24, 4Q554-555, 11Q18, A Vision of the New Jerusalem
- 5Q16 - 25, Unidentified, unclassified fragments
Qumran Cave 6 (6Q), 1952
- Fragments of 31 scrolls, papyrus, Biblical works, hymns, sectarian compositions
- 6Q1, Paleo Genesis
- 6Q2, Paleo Leviticus
- 6Q3, Papyrus Deuteronomy
- 6Q4, Papyrus Kings
- 6Q5, Psalms
- 6Q6, Canticles, Song of Songs
- 6Q7, Papyrus Daniel
- 6Q8, lQ23, 2Q26, 4Q203, 4Q530-532, The Book of Giants
- 6Q9, Papyrus Samuel-Kings Apocryphon
- 6Q10, Apocryphal Prophecy
- 6Q11, Allegory of the Vine
- 6Q12, Apocryphal Prophecy
- 6Q13, Priestly Prophecy
- 6Q14, Aramaic Apocalypse
- 6Q15, Damascus
- 6Q16, Papyrus Benedictions
- 6Q17, Calendar
- 6Q18, Papyrus Hymns
- 6Q19, Aramaic Genesis?
- 6Q20, Deuteronomy?
- 6Q21, Prophetic fragments
- 6Q22, Unidentified Hebrew texts
- 6Q23, Unidentified Aramaic texts
- 6Q24 - 31, Diverse fragments
Qumran Cave 7 (7Q), 1955
- Greek manuscripts, including a translation of the book of Exodus
- Papyrus7Q1-7Q18, possible New Testament texts
- 7Q1, Septuagint Exodus
- 7Q2, Greek Jeremiah
- 7Q3 - 5, Unidentified Greek Biblical fragments
- 7Q5, Mark 6:52-53 (link)
- 7Q6 - 18, Tiny unidentified fragments
- 7Q19, Imprints of Greek papyrus on plaster
Qumran Cave 8 (8Q), 1955
- fragments of Genesis, Psalms, a mezuzah, a hymn and tefillin
- 8Q1, Genesis
- 8Q2, Psalms
- 8Q3, Phylactery
- 8Q4, Mezuzah
- 8Q5, Liturgical Poem
Qumran Cave 9 (9Q), 1955
- 9Q1, Unidentified papyrus fragment
Qumran Cave 10 (10Q), 1955
- 10Q1, Ostracon, one inscribed potsherd
Qumran Cave 11 (11Q), 1956
- 11Q1 Paleo-Hebrew Leviticus
- 11Q2 Leviticus
- 11Q3 Deuteronomy
- 11Q4 Ezekiel
- 11Q5 - 6, 4Q88, 4Q488, Apocryphal Psalms of David
- 11Q5 Psalms a
- 11Q6 Psalms b
- 11Q7 Psalms c
- 11Q8 Psalms d
- 11Q9 Psalms e
- 11Q10, An Aramaic Translation of the Book of Job
- 11Q11, Psalms, Songs to Disperse Demons
- 11Q12, Book of Jubilees
- 11Q13, The Coming of Melchizedek
- 11Q14, Berakhah
- 11Q14, 4Q285, The War of the Messiah
- 11Q15 - 16, Hymns
- 11Q17, 4Q400-407, Masada Fragment, The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice
- 11Q18, New Jerusalem
- 11Q19, Temple Scroll
- 11Q20, Temple Scroll fragments
- 11Q21, Temple Scroll
- 11Q22 - 23, Unidentified fragments
Wadi Murabba'at (Nahal Darga; MUR), 1951
- 170 manuscripts found in the five caves of Murabba'at date to the period of the Bar Kokhba Revolt (132-135 ce)
- Primarily administrative documents on papyrus, financial records of refugees from the revolt
- letters written by the leader of the revolt, Shim'on Bar Kokhba
- a few religious Scrolls (example: Scroll of the Twelve Minor Prophets)
Nahal Hever Cave 5-6 (5/6Hev), 1950-1952
- leather waterskin containing 15 letters (in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek), most of which were sent by Shim'on Bar Kohkba
- wrapped package stored inside a leather purse, containing 35 personal financial records, belonging to a woman named Babatha
- Five contracts belonging to Eleazar, a farmer from Ein Gedi
Nahal Hever Cave 8 (8Hev), 1950-1952
- 40 skeletons
- three ostraca, inscribed with the names of the deceased
Seiyal Collection (XHev/Se), 1950's
- Documents sold to the Rockefeller museum by Bedouin
- Claimed to have been found at Nahal Se-elim
Wadi Daliyeh (Cave of Abu Shinjeh; WD), 1962
- 40 Aramaic papyrus fragments, Samaritan legal documents from the Persian period (4th century bce), mostly deeds of sale for slaves
- inscribed seals and coins
- skeletal remains of 205 people
Masada (Mas), 1963-65
- fragments from seven biblical Scrolls (Genesis, two copies of Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Ezekiel, and two copies of Psalms, match the traditional Masoretic text)
- Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice
- Hebrew text of Ben Sira
- Greek and Latin papyri, most military documents belonging to Roman soldiers after the revolt
- a scrap of papyrus containing a line from Virgil's Aeneid
Book of Isaiah - one complete copy and one partial copy
Retelling of the Book of Genesis
Interpretation of Habakkuk
Rules and practices of the community of the “Teacher of Righteousness”
Book of Deuteronomy - 30 copies found

More to come...

Apocalypse Chronology
The Triumph of the Righteous or Mysteries
A Messianic Apocalypse
Jubilees
An Admonition Associated with the Flood
The Ages of Creation
Words of the Archangel Michael
The Testament of Levi
Testaments of the Patriarchs
The Testament of Qahat
The Testament of Amram
The Words of Moses
Sermon on the Exodus and Conquest of Canan
A Moses Apocrypon
Pseudo-Moses
A Moses (or David) Apocryphon
Divine Plan for the Conquest of the Holy Land
A Joshua Apocryphon
The Samuel Apocryphon
A Paraphrase on Kings
An Elisha Apocryphon
A Zedekiah Apocryphon
A Historico-theological Narrative based on Genesis and Exodus
Tobit
A Jeremiah Apocryphon
The New Jerusalem
Second Ezekiel
The Prayer of Nabonidus
Para-Daniel Writings
The Four Kingdoms
An Aramaic Apocalypse
Proto-Esther
Apocryphal Psalms