Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By Jeffery Pritchett
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

Dead Sea Scrolls Deciphered: One of the Last Known Scrolls Reconstructed (Video)

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


Researchers from the Haifa University have reconstructed the contents of one of the last two undeciphered Dead Sea Scrolls, disclosing a distinctive calendar used by a Jewish sect that lived in the Judean Desert during the Second Temple period.

Most Important Archaeological Find in Israel’s History

Sixty small fragments were pieced together over a period of twelve months, identifying the name of a festival marking the changes between seasons. It also revealed a second scribe corrected mistakes made by the original author as BBC reported. The collection is considered the oldest copy of the Hebrew Bible ever found, dating to at least the 4th Century BC.

This scroll is a collection of psalms and hymns, comprising parts of forty-one biblical psalms. (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

The 900 scrolls, written by an ancient Jewish sect, never stopped amazing historians and archaeologists from the day they were discovered in a cave in Qumran in 1947. “Tens of thousands of fragments belonging to over 900 scrolls were found in the caves at Qumran,” Dr. Eshbal Ratzon from the Bible Department at Haifa University told Haaretz. And adds, “This is the most important archaeological find ever made in Israel. This is literature from the Second Temple period, and that’s rare.” It is not known who wrote the scrolls, even though several historians have suggested that the writers were an ascetic desert sect called the Essenes. They said they were assisted in deciphering the code by annotations discovered in the margins by a scribe correcting omissions made by the author.

Scholars examining the Dead Sea Scroll fragments. (Public Domain)

Written in Three Different Languages

Dr. Ratzon explained that it took decades that involved many scientists and researchers to piece the fragments together, decrypt them and then publish their contents. Still, two of them remained undeciphered. The scrolls are written in three languages: Hebrew for the most part, Aramaic, while a few of them are written in Greek. The scroll Dr. Ratzon worked on with Prof. Jonatan Ben-Dov, also from the Bible Department at Haifa University, was written in coded Hebrew and some of the fragments were smaller than 1 square cm. “Very few scrolls that had previously been deciphered were written in this language,” she says via Haaretz.

Unique 364-Day Calendar 

The two experts noticed a unique 364-day calendar, which was already known to researchers and differs significantly from the one Jews used at that period. “Most Jews used a calendar that is similar to the one used today. The sect used a calendar that is almost based on a solar year, comprising 364 days. There are months with 30 or 31 days in every season,” Dr. Ratzon stated via Haaretz. And adds, “364 divides into 7, so every date falls on a specific day of the week and every holiday has a fixed date. We know that in the Temple there were disputes between different sects over what happens if Passover falls on Shabbat. What supersedes what, Shabbat or the holiday? This sect solved the problem, since no holiday fell on Shabbat. This scroll details all dates on which Shabbat falls and all the days of the week on which holidays fall.”

Dr. Ratzon also explained that when significant events took place inside a Temple, such as the High Priest making a sacrifice on Yom Kippur, only one calendar could be used. “But this calendar was disputed, which may be one of the reasons this sect left the Temple and went to the desert. They had many disputes and this was one of them – they couldn’t celebrate holidays together,” she told Haaretz.

The scrolls were found in caves on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, located at Khirbet Qumran in what was what was then British Mandate Palestine – now known as West Bank. (CC BY 2.0)

The “Tekufah”

Furthermore, the researchers also noticed the name used by the sect for a festival commemorated four times a year that marked the transition between the seasons: the Tekufah. The same word in modern-day Hebrew means “period”. “This shows us that the researchers who believed the day of celebrating the transition between the seasons was called by this name were correct, and that this word, as used in the Mishna, was preserved from the days of the Second Temple – it’s a very early concept in halakha [religious Jewish law],” Dr. Ratzon stated via Haaretz, adding that the unique calendar also refers to annual wine and olive harvest festivals no longer observed in Judaism.

Meanwhile, a research team is currently excavating in a 12th cave that might hide further scrolls to be deciphered. The cave was discovered last year and only one blank scroll was found at that time. Details of what has been discovered by the team from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia are due to be revealed soon.

Top image: 60 pieces of scroll have been reassembled in the latest scroll. (Image: University of Haifa)

By Theodoros Karasavvas

Source: http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/one-last-two-known-dead-sea-scrolls-deciphered-009485

I host the Church of Mabus radio show and it is going on 8 years. I’ve been in the paranormal community for 20 years. I provide content from a network of sources and guests and allies. Ranging from Politics to the Paranormal and the Spiritual. You can check out my other articles here at my BIOGRAPHY at BIN and you can check out my free radio show at this link HERE. Thanks for showing your support and stopping by.

 

 



Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!


Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST


Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!

HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.

Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.

MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)

Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser!  Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!

Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.

Smart Meter Cover -  Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).

Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    Total 2 comments
    • Everette

      They need to remember if it does not contain the Bible Code it is only mans veiw of history . The Bible Code shows proof of GOD’s approval on the book containing it . HIS secrets of future dates places and people exposing how HE knows and controls the future ! Even the Bible is separated showing the Vatican injected their books into it along with GOD’s chosen books . They were not to change anything or words or the Code would be lost . Just one word spelled differently would destroy the Code . So we can know which books are GOD’s inspired words . Example ! Only the Book of John of the 4 gospels contain the Bible Code . The other 3 contradict each other . Don’t believe it ? Trace the linages of Matthew and Luke on Jesus to King David . They don’t match . One uses Nathan’s linage the other uses Solomon’s linage . Some say the other is Marry’s linage . Sorry it plainly states from Joseph to Jesus in both books ! And besides Marry was not of the tribe of Judea , but a Levite and cousin to Elisabeth who was married to the High Preist . Elisabeth had to be a Levite to marry him ! John was the only one present with Jesus . The other 3 persons writing their gospel was handed down about 150 years later by tradition . But they run close but not perfect . They also contain no Bible Code . Want to know which books GOD approves of ? Find out which ones contain the Bible Code . Even in the old testament there are books that contradict each other . Only way to know the truth is find out if it has the Bible Code ! Don’t forget the Vatican Esau Edomite dukes put together the Bible in 325 AD . Gathering GOD’s books and their books to make into one book . I’m Malachi 1:1-4 GOD states HIS haterard for Esau . In other books the descendants of Esau shall be wiped off the face of the earth . In Revelation they are the ones that have lead Kings and Kingdoms astray from the truth . Who could that be ? What entity has the power over Kings hearts to sway them ? A religious order using GOD’s name and forbidding reading or interpretation of scriptures . Only they are given by GOD the right to Devine HIS words and interpretations . Scare the King with supernatural beings and how he has fallen short and his fear will allow them to control him . The Vatican ! The only church with a seat in the UN and a world religion . The Bible goes on to tell us that they ware scarlet and purple . And they worship idols ( like kissing Peter’s statues big toe that is almost off from so many kisses ) . They save you with their cookie . And omit the wine most of the time symbolic of the blood Jesus shed to pay the price for mans sins if they will except His sacriface for them . Then on YouTube videos you can watch the pope teaching Jesus is lucifers son . Then they sing praises to lucifer . For those who don’t know who he is , he is the one that tried to over throw GOD . He got kicked out of Heaven . We know him as the devil , the dragon or the serpent as Revelations 12:9 brings out . He is soon to bring havoc to planet earth .

    • adam

      The essenes were Hebrew but Christian’s, they accepted Jesus as the Messiah

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.