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| | [[Image:Dead Sea Scrolls.jpg|thumb|Dead Sea Scrolls]] | | [[Image:Dead Sea Scrolls.jpg|thumb|Dead Sea Scrolls]] |
| − | The '''Dead Sea Scrolls''' include several of the oldest extant manuscripts of the [[Old Testament]], found in a remarkable modern discovery near the [[Dead Sea]] in [[Israel]]. This discovery proved the accuracy of the copying and preservation of [[Scriptures]] over thousands of years, because the ancient contents of these scrolls are virtually identical to the modern content today. In addition, these scrolls and fragments -- totaling nearly a thousand -- are an important source of information about the [[Holy Land]] in the first century after [[Jesus Christ]]'s ministry on earth. '''''These Dead Sea Scrolls predate prior oldest complete copies of the [[Old Testament]] by a millennium, and yet confirm every detail perfectly, and [[AI]] discovered they are older than previously thought'''''.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2025/06/04/world-news/dead-sea-scrolls-much-older-than-previously-thought-ai-based-study-finds/ "Dead Sea Scrolls much older than previously thought, AI-based study finds" (''NY Post'')]</ref> | + | The '''Dead Sea Scrolls''' include several of the oldest extant manuscripts of the [[Old Testament]], found in a remarkable modern discovery near the [[Dead Sea]] in [[Israel]]. This discovery proved the accuracy of the copying and preservation of [[Scriptures]] over thousands of years, because the ancient contents of these scrolls are virtually identical to the modern content today. In addition, these scrolls and fragments -- totaling nearly a thousand -- are an important source of information about the [[Holy Land]] in the first century after [[Jesus Christ]]'s ministry on earth. '''''These Dead Sea Scrolls predate by a millennium other complete copies of the [[Old Testament]], and yet confirm every detail perfectly, and [[AI]] discovered they are older than previously thought'''''.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2025/06/04/world-news/dead-sea-scrolls-much-older-than-previously-thought-ai-based-study-finds/ "Dead Sea Scrolls much older than previously thought, AI-based study finds" (''NY Post'')]</ref> |
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| − | The significance of [[Psalms]] is demonstrated by how the Dead Sea Scrolls contain by far the greatest number of copies of this important book, with 35 copies. A complete copy of the [[Book of Isaiah]] (called the "Great Isaiah Scroll") as discovered in this collection, along with 20 additional near-complete copies, reinforces the importance of the Book of Isaiah also. | + | The significance of [[Psalms]] is demonstrated by how the ''Dead Sea Scrolls' contain by far the greatest number of copies of this important book, with 35 copies. A complete copy of the [[Book of Isaiah]] (called the "Great Isaiah Scroll") as discovered in this collection, along with 20 additional near-complete copies, reinforces the importance of the Book of Isaiah also. |
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| | A surprising amount of [[Greek]] in the Dead Sea Scrolls suggests that it was more commonly used by [[Jesus]] and his [[Apostles]] than previously thought: | | A surprising amount of [[Greek]] in the Dead Sea Scrolls suggests that it was more commonly used by [[Jesus]] and his [[Apostles]] than previously thought: |
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| | == Insights Gained == | | == Insights Gained == |
| | + | [[File:512px-Antonio Balestra - Prophet Isaiah.jpg|thumbnail|250px|Painting of [[Isaiah (prophet)|Isaiah]] by Antonio Balestra]] |
| | Insights gained from analyzing the Dead Sea Scrolls include: | | Insights gained from analyzing the Dead Sea Scrolls include: |
| | #[[Psalms]] and the [[Book of Isaiah]] are very important books of the [[Bible]], and always have been. | | #[[Psalms]] and the [[Book of Isaiah]] are very important books of the [[Bible]], and always have been. |
| | #the [[Jewish]] community was more varied and diverse in opinion than portrayed today, with the [[Essenes]] and [[Samaritans]] having significantly different views from the [[Judea]]ns. | | #the [[Jewish]] community was more varied and diverse in opinion than portrayed today, with the [[Essenes]] and [[Samaritans]] having significantly different views from the [[Judea]]ns. |
| − | #the [[monastery|monastic]] way of life was as important in the [[Jewish]] religion as it is in the [[Christian]] and [[Buddist]] religions. | + | #the [[monastery|monastic]] way of life was as important in the [[Jewish]] religion as it is in the [[Christian]] and [[Buddhist]] religions. |
| | #enormous care was taken to preserve [[Scripture]] with the result of virtually perfect preservation for millennia | | #enormous care was taken to preserve [[Scripture]] with the result of virtually perfect preservation for millennia |
| | #the [[Septuagint]] was considered as authorative as the [[Hebrew]] [[Masoretic]] [[Bible]], as illustrated by how the Jeremiah incomplete scrolls found in the Dead Sea Scrolls match up more closely with the Septuagint than with the longer [[Book of Jeremiah]] in the Masoretic text.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/258y4y/about_what_percentage_of_the_old_testamenthebrew/</ref> | | #the [[Septuagint]] was considered as authorative as the [[Hebrew]] [[Masoretic]] [[Bible]], as illustrated by how the Jeremiah incomplete scrolls found in the Dead Sea Scrolls match up more closely with the Septuagint than with the longer [[Book of Jeremiah]] in the Masoretic text.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/AcademicBiblical/comments/258y4y/about_what_percentage_of_the_old_testamenthebrew/</ref> |
| | + | #The Dead Sea Scrolls reinforce the authenticity of the [[Epistle to the Hebrews]], as both relied on the [[Septuagint]] rather than the [[Masoretic Text]]: "Some of the Dead Sea Scrolls actually have more in common with the Greek Septuagint than the traditional Hebrew Masoretic Text."<ref>https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/bible-versions-and-translations/the-original-bible-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls/</ref> |
| | + | #the Septuagint was more accurate than previously thought, as it was carefully based on previously unknown Hebrew manuscripts.<ref name="C">https://catholicproductions.com/blogs/blog/the-dead-sea-scrolls-and-the-canon-and-text-of-the-bible?srsltid=AfmBOopkMQ1HRd6GcCPEng9IWYWYIyYHQcVSaT-IWNep1l7NOP5g5jLY</ref> |
| | + | #the [[Book of Sirach]] was found, in multiple fragments, in the Dead Sea Scrolls, which reinforced the acceptance of this controversial book despite the modern exclusion of it from [[Protestant]] and Jewish [[Bible]]s. |
| | + | #the [[Book of Tobit]] was considered to be canonical (completely authoritative) by the [[Essenes]] community at [[Qumran]], which had at least 5 manuscript copies of it, in contrast with the view by some today that it is [[Apocrypha]].<ref name="C"/> |
| | + | #the Dead Sea Scrolls were not exclusively limited to the [[Bible]] used today, as the Dead Sea Scrolls incuded Aramaic Proverbs<ref>https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/manuscript/4Q569-1?locale=en_US</ref> and other many other manuscripts of wisdom, which illustrates that the [[Essenes]] did not view ancient [[Hebrew]] [[Scriptures]] as the only and exclusive authority. |
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| | ==Contents== | | ==Contents== |
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| | Fragments of the [[Book of Jeremiah]] found in the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] line up better with the shorter version found in the [[Septuagint]] and Bibles used in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, as opposed to the longer version in the Masoratic Text that is typically incorporated into Protestant Bibles. | | Fragments of the [[Book of Jeremiah]] found in the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] line up better with the shorter version found in the [[Septuagint]] and Bibles used in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, as opposed to the longer version in the Masoratic Text that is typically incorporated into Protestant Bibles. |
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| | + | == Book of Daniel == |
| | + | The [[Book of Daniel]] is among the Dead Sea Scrolls, and use of [[AI]] tools to date it more accurately than [[carbon dating]] has caused scholars to rethink its origin.<ref>https://www.abc.net.au/religion/carbon-dating-dead-sea-scrolls-apocalyptic-visions-book-daniel/105534586</ref> |
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| | == Ruth 3:15 controversy == | | == Ruth 3:15 controversy == |
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| | *[http://www.centuryone.com/25dssfacts.html 25 Facts] | | *[http://www.centuryone.com/25dssfacts.html 25 Facts] |
| | *[http://home.flash.net/~hoselton/deadsea/deadsea.htm Dead Sea Scrolls & Qumran] | | *[http://home.flash.net/~hoselton/deadsea/deadsea.htm Dead Sea Scrolls & Qumran] |
| − | | + | *[https://dssenglishbible.com/genesis%201.htm Translations directly from the Dead Sea Scrolls, easily searchable] |
| | ==References== | | ==References== |
| | <references/> | | <references/> |