The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in caves near the Dead Sea in 1947, are one of the great archaeological finds. They include a treasure trove of unique texts created by the Essene community of Qumran which had formed in the desert to restore Judaism to true biblical faith. They also include the earliest manuscripts of every book in the Hebrew Bible, except for Esther. The writings of this community are vital to understanding the world of Judaism that led soon thereafter to rabbinic Judaism on the one hand and Christianity on the other.
The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls is the definitive introduction to the scrolls, their teachings, the community that created them, and their significance for understanding the Hebrew Bible and the world from which Christianity emerged. The book presents a readable, comprehensive and up-to-date reference for students, clergy, and general readers by two of the leading Dead Sea Scrolls scholars. The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls provides an essential companion to the complete translations of the biblical and non-biblical scrolls found in the Dead Sea Scrolls Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation.
