The War of the Messiah
Encyclopedia
The War of the Messiah is a series of Dead Sea scroll
fragments describing the conclusion of a battle led by the Leader of the Congregation. The fragments that make up this document include 4Q285, also known as The Pierced Messiah Text, and 11Q14 with which it was found to coincide. It is possible that it also represents the conclusion of the War Scroll
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from the Branch of David, to a judgement, and to a killing.
Hebrew is primarily made up of consonants; vowels must be supplied by the reader. The appropriate vowels depend on the context. Thus, the text (line 4) may be translated as "and the Prince of the Congregation, the Branch of David, will kill him," or alternately read as "and they killed the Prince." Because of the second reading, the text was dubbed the "Pierced Messiah." The transcription and translation presented here support the "killing Messiah" interpretation, alluding to a triumphant Messiah .
In September 1992, "Time Magazine" published an article on the War Rule
fragment displayed here (object no. 12) exploring the differing interpretations. A "piercing messiah" reading would support the traditional Jewish view of a triumphant messiah. If, on the other hand, the fragment were interpreted as speaking of a "pierced messiah," it would anticipate the New Testament view of the preordained death of the messiah. The scholarly basis for these differing interpretations—but not their theological ramifications—are reviewed in "A Pierced or Piercing Messiah?"
English Translation of The War Rule (Serekh ha-Milhamah)
4Q285 (SM)
Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority (12)
Transcription and translation by G. Vermes
Dead Sea scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents found between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name...
fragments describing the conclusion of a battle led by the Leader of the Congregation. The fragments that make up this document include 4Q285, also known as The Pierced Messiah Text, and 11Q14 with which it was found to coincide. It is possible that it also represents the conclusion of the War Scroll
War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness
The War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness is a manual for military organization and strategy that was discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is also known by the names "War Rule", "Rule of War", and "War Scroll". The manuscript was among the scrolls from Qumran Cave 1 acquired by...
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The Pierced Messiah Text (4Q285)
This six-line fragment, commonly referred to as the "Pierced Messiah" text, is written in a Herodian script of the first half of the 1st Century and refers to a MessiahMessiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
from the Branch of David, to a judgement, and to a killing.
Hebrew is primarily made up of consonants; vowels must be supplied by the reader. The appropriate vowels depend on the context. Thus, the text (line 4) may be translated as "and the Prince of the Congregation, the Branch of David, will kill him," or alternately read as "and they killed the Prince." Because of the second reading, the text was dubbed the "Pierced Messiah." The transcription and translation presented here support the "killing Messiah" interpretation, alluding to a triumphant Messiah .
In September 1992, "Time Magazine" published an article on the War Rule
War Rule
The War Rule is a name used for various Dead Sea Scrolls.* The War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness* The War of the Messiah...
fragment displayed here (object no. 12) exploring the differing interpretations. A "piercing messiah" reading would support the traditional Jewish view of a triumphant messiah. If, on the other hand, the fragment were interpreted as speaking of a "pierced messiah," it would anticipate the New Testament view of the preordained death of the messiah. The scholarly basis for these differing interpretations—but not their theological ramifications—are reviewed in "A Pierced or Piercing Messiah?"
English Translation of The War Rule (Serekh ha-Milhamah)
4Q285 (SM)
Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority (12)
- ]Isaiah the prophet: [The thickets of the forest] will be cut [
- down with an axe and Lebanon by a majestic one will f]all. And there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse [
- ] the Branch of David and they will enter into judgement with [
- ] and the Prince of the Congregation, the Bran[ch of David] will kill him [
- by stroke]s and by wounds. And a Priest [of renown (?)] will command [
- the s]lai[n] of the Kitti[m]
Transcription and translation by G. Vermes