The War Texts 1 QM and Related Manuscripts

The War Texts is the name given to a small group of Dead Sea Scrolls that depict the preparation for and the various phases of the eschatological battle between the 'Sons of Light' and the 'Sons of Darkness'. Jean Duhaime briefly surveys the history of these texts from their initial discovery to their official publication. He describes the different scrolls and gives details of their contents and their relationships to one another. Duhaime summarizes the various reasons supporting a dating of this composition to the Hellenistic or Roman period and provides an example of the use of the Bible in the War Texts. The contributors to the Companion to the Qumran Scrolls series take account of all relevant and recently published texts and provide extensive bibliographies. The books in the series are authoritatively written in accessible language and are ideal for students and non-specialist scholars. Companion to the Qumran Scrolls, 6>

1.Introduction This chapter briefly surveys this history, from the initial discovery to the official edition (or editio princeps) of the War Texts. 2.The Manuscripts of the War Texts and their Contents In this chapter, the physical characteristics of each of the War Texts are summarized and their contents outlined, on the basis of the scribe's indications where possible. The relationships of the manuscripts to one another are also considered. 3.The Composition and Genre of 1QM This chapter reviews the most significant aspects of the debate about the origin, literary history and function of the War Texts, focussing especially on the kind of arguments used by scholars to support their views. 4.The Date of 1QM Scholars are divided on dating the composition of 1QM. This chapter summarizes and assesses the data that have been used to support its dating whether during the Hellenistic period (Maccabean or Hasmonaean), or only after the Roman takeover of the country in 63 BCE. 5.The War Texts and the Hebrew Bible In this chapter, the biblical intertextuality found in the War Texts is briefly summarized and illustrated by a throughout analysis of the biblical quotations, references and allusions found in a prayer of 1QM (11.1-12).