Prior to 1945, the Wadi Qumran canyon was not well-known for its tourism. In fact, if anyone ever needed to go, they needed a good reason thrust upon them. Such was the case when a shepherd boy was forced to go into the area by one of his wandering sheep. Other reports say it was a goat…but that’s not important.
As he searched for his missing sheep…er, goat…thing…he passed the time by throwing some rocks. One rock flew into a cave, and he heard what sounded like shattering pottery.
The year was 1947.
In a cave by the northwest corner of the Dead Sea, this lone shepherd boy found the first of several earthenware jars that would soon flood the area with global curiosity. He discovered what became known as the Dead Sea Scrolls.
More Than 100 Manuscripts in 11 Caves
Eleven caves were excavated between 1949 and 1956, where many Biblical manuscripts and manuscript fragments of the Old Testament were found. Other recovered items included the copies of the Apocryphal books, and even an Aramaic Targum of Job. The major discoveries are listed below:
From Cave 1:
- One manuscript of Genesis
- One manuscript of Exodus
- One manuscript of Leviticus (including Numbers)
- Two manuscripts of Deuteronomy
- One manuscript of Judges
- One manuscript of Samuel
- Two manuscripts of Isaiah
- One manuscript of Ezekiel
- Three manuscripts of Psalms
- Two manuscripts of Daniel
From Minor Caves 2, 3, 5-10:
- Three manuscripts of Genesis
- Three manuscripts of Exodus
- Two manuscripts of Leviticus
- Three manuscripts of Numbers
- Five manuscripts of Deuteronomy
- Two manuscripts of Kings
- One manuscript of Isaiah
- One manuscript of Jeremiah
- One manuscript of Ezekiel
- One manuscript of the Minor Prophets
- Four manuscripts of Psalms
- One manuscript of Job
- Two manuscripts of Ruth
- One manuscript of Song of Solomon
- Three manuscripts of Lamentations
- One manuscript of Daniel
From Cave 4:
- Eleven manuscripts of Genesis (one includes Exodus)
- Eleven manuscripts of Exodus
- Four manuscripts of Leviticus
- Two manuscripts of Numbers (one includes Leviticus)
- Eighteen manuscripts of Deuteronomy
- Two manuscripts of Joshua
- Two manuscripts of Judges
- Three manuscripts of Samuel
- One manuscript of Kings
- Fifteen manuscripts of Isaiah
- Three manuscripts of Jeremiah
- Three manuscripts of Ezekiel
- Seven manuscripts of the Minor Prophets
- Seventeen manuscripts of the Psalms
- Three manuscripts of Job
- Two manuscripts of Proverbs
- Two manuscripts of Ruth
- Three manuscripts of the Song of Solomon
- Two manuscripts of Ecclesiastes
- One manuscript of Lamentations
- Five manuscripts of Daniel
- One manuscript of Ezra
- One manuscript of Chronicles
From Cave 11:
- One manuscript of Leviticus
- One manuscript of Ezekiel
- Three manuscripts of Psalms
The collection in the caves also included twelve manuscripts written in paleo-Hebrew, an archaic form of Hebrew that predates the other Dead Sea Scrolls. These twelve manuscripts record Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Job (Freedman and Campbell 240-241).
At the end of their excavation, archaeologists uncovered at least one full manuscript of every Old Testament book, except one (Esther).
Who Put the Dead Sea Scrolls in Those Caves?
The Qumran community once lived by the Dead Sea. Better known by history as the Essenes, this ancient Jewish sect inhabited the area in 250 B.C., but fled two years before the Romans came in and destroyed Jerusalem (A.D. 68-70).
As a result, their Old Testament library rested safely in the caves for more than 1500 years.
What Do the Dead Sea Scrolls Mean for You?
Obviously, researchers had to use scientific dating to determine that 1500 magic number. That magic number would go on to hold key implications for every Bible student from that point on.
Before the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, the credibility of the Old Testament rested only on a select few manuscript supports. These were the Masoretic manuscripts, created by the Masoretic scribes. These medieval scribes copied the text based on an inherited (strict) scribal tradition called the Masorah, and their manuscripts had been dated only as early as A.D. 500.
The Dead Sea Scrolls are important, then, because they validate the Old Testament in both age and accuracy.
First, after the Dead Sea Scrolls had been dated, the credibility of the Old Testament came to rest on supports that were much older than the Masoretic manuscripts, hence closer to the original autographs (i.e., original manuscript from the original author of a particular Biblical book).
The Old Testament now stands on documentation that is about 900-1000 years older than the earliest Masoretic manuscripts.
In addition, researchers were given a chance to see if both the Dead Sea Scrolls and Masoretic manuscripts accurately matched one another. If the Dead Sea Scrolls confirmed what was written in the Masoretic manuscripts, then the Masoretic manuscripts could be deemed even more trustworthy Old Testament supports.
Their analysis concludes that your Old Testament is firmly supported, not only by the Masoretic manuscripts, but also by the older, more detailed Dead Sea Scrolls.
Conclusion
You can rest well assured that the Old Testament stands on a support that has been carefully preserved by God for more than 1500 years. The vast number of ancient manuscripts—as well as the consistent accuracy they portray—both provide valuable credibility to the Old Testament.
Trivia Question: What was the name of the shepherd boy who first discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls?
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