Twelve miles east of Jerusalem in desert caves, Bedouin shepherds stumbled upon manuscripts rolled up in 10 tall jars. Little did they know they had discovered priceless ancient texts written on animal hide—the Dead Sea Scrolls.
That was in 1947. Eventually, people would locate some 800 manuscripts total in nearby caves. Now researchers use DNA testing to press deeper into the old find—and they’re still making new discoveries!
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of very old religious writings, many of which are non-biblical. But the scrolls also contain parts or whole copies of every book in the Old Testament except Esther. These are not originals. But they are very early copies. Before the shepherds showed up, no one had disturbed the scrolls for 1,900 years!
Researchers took genetic samples from the scrolls, studying tiny slivers or even dust crumbs of parchment. DNA testing showed many manuscripts were written on sheepskin, not goatskin as researchers had thought. The tests even indicated which skins came from related animals. This helps researchers piece together the puzzle of which manuscripts belong together.
Some say the scrolls were brought to the caves from Jerusalem for safekeeping. Others say a group of Jews called the Essenes copied them. Back then, the Essenes had split away from both the Sadducees and Pharisees, moved away from Jerusalem, and chosen a monastic lifestyle in the desert.
People often kept sheep and goats in the desert near the caves. But the researchers got a surprise: Two of the fragments came from cow hide, a manuscript material more common in cities like Jerusalem.
God works in human history to preserve the truth of His word. To write the Bible, He used fishermen, shepherds, poets, prophets, a tax collector, a doctor, a tentmaker, and many others. Biblical writers worked with styluses to carve clay or wax. They used chisels to inscribe words in stone. They used pens to write with ink on papyrus, leather, or parchment. Over the centuries, people have copied His word again and again. The Dead Sea Scrolls are just one example of this—a very important one.
The new DNA testing could help people spot counterfeit ancient texts. It would have been useful at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. The museum had to remove five supposed Dead Sea Scrolls from display there. It turned out they weren’t the real deal.
All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. — 2 Timothy 3:16
1ST COMMENT!!!!!!!!!
Woah, this is interesting. I'm amazed that these scrolls are so old.....I didn't know that stuff could stay like that for so long, even if only in fragments!! WOW! I love history and the discovery of old artifacts.
Neat!
I didn't know people were still testing and finding things out about the Dead Sea Scrolls!
And Maddy M: I love history too! It's my favorite subject.
awesome
I just don't understand why the book of ethster is not present in the Dead Sea scrolls.
... could it be because Esther is not a real book of the Bible
awesome
I just don't understand why the book of ethster is not present in the Dead Sea scrolls.
... could it be because Esther is not a real book of the Bible.
Amazing
that is so amazing that God's word stayed in that spot for almost 2,000 years and no one knew.
@ Maddy M: history is my favorite subject too
6th comment ;0
I LOVE history so the dead sea scrolls are really my thing as artifacts so as a nerd-to which i admit i am- i personally LOVE this article!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (oof i'm such a nerd lol)
this was cool to read im glad
this was cool to read im glad i picked it firts it had a lot of in fo
That's cool!
That's awesome. Will we ever stop discovering new things? Do you think God is always making new animals and cool plants for us to find?
@ Scarlett R
That's cool thing to think! I never thought about that. He might be, but it seems to me that He created the world in seven day only. But who knows!?! Nice thought!
: - ) 2000 years?!?! Wow!!
: - ) 2000 years?!?! Wow!!
Hmmm I’m not such a great history fan although I do love reading books that are set in the past. But I really like geography looking at countries on the map and I’m currently trying to memorise all the US States.
This is London
I don’t love history but I love when they find ancient stuff I think this is cool. God made the world in 7 days so he already made all the animals and stuff. But there are different animals bc of breeding. I do wonder why ester isn’t there so suspicious
this is Mylee
wow a lot of new people are on here ! Jema are you new I know someone with that name. And Maddy M or Maggie M Are ya'll new ? sorry if I haven't noticed if you are not new lol. This is so cool! That hey are still figuring out things about this . I mean it is so ancient. I love history and Mirela I love to read books set in the past!
this is Mylee
p.s. Mysterious Ester
@Above
Such a cool thing. I actually got to personally see some Dead Sea Scrolls while they were on display at a museum in Denver Colorado. It was really neat! Long line though!
@Mirela: Cool!! I love geography too! We rotate which continents we do each year. This school year it is the US and Canada. But we have done Africa but that was a long time ago, Asia, Europe, Australia, Middle East, South America, and all the islands in the south Pacific. It is really fun.
@Scarlett R
Well, not trying to be rude, but I believe that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. So I think that biologists are just discovering new things that have always been here, but never found before, or just discovering new things about them. True, there can be cross breedings, but I don't think God is always creating new plants and animals. Sorry.
@ Riley D
Well phrased.
@Bethy S
Thank you.
@ Ethan K
I do not believe that the book of Esther is not a real book of the bible because God's word is the book of truth. He wouldn't of put lies in the bible. But it is interesting how Esther was not found. It was probably somehow destroyed or got separated from the rest. @Rily D I agree
(no offense to anyone!)
@NaomiD
I definitely agree with you. God's word is the truth, science has proven that. The book of Esther probably was lost or destroyed. It is a part of God's plan somehow!
@ Riley
That sounds interesting. And it definitely sounds fun!
@mRi
It’s a great idea to rotate cause then you get a bit of everything.
Mistake.... about above comment ( @ Riley)
WHAT? So sorry about that I was typing quite fast and it sudden changed what was meant to be @Riley to whatever it says there and posted it! It has never done that before. Sorry .
@Mirela J
You are totally fine!!!!! It happens!! Thanks!
@Mylee
Sorry I didn't see your comment earlier yeah i'm kinda new I started around august but didn't really log on or comment until this fall so yeah you could say i'm new
wow just wow
ester is a real book in the bible but it is also a real time in history that vers up there is the one my brother and I are memorizing for this week.Ican't beleiv that pepole still think the bible is a fairy tale!!!! and that the world was created by a big boom it just dosent add up how could the wourld be round and put a the perfict tilt for life to be possible!! and how dose green plants and animals come from an exsplotion!!! it can only be from god and it is so cool that he has let peepole find the remains of pharos army in the dead see and peices of the ark in turky and now this how do people not see this
me to
i just got this yester day and i am so glad to see teenagers and yunger in God it makes me feal safer than on face book or anything becaus we all have around the same veiw
continuing
i dident get to type this in the first time but to all the people who say the world came from a big bang read this i will summerize it but please read the whole the whle chapter in your bible or on line job 38" Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
2
“Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge?
3
Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
4
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6
On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7
while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels[a] shouted for joy?
@JillB
Nice to see that your reading and memorizing not just me. I. right now, am writing out the entire book of proverbs so yeah -_-
@Jill
Are you memorizing for the Bible Bee? Just curious!! My family memorizes a lot, and right now we are working on Psalm 103.
@ the three last comments
I memorized the book of James last year and it was hard! I don't know if I could ever memorize the whole bible but with God's help I could.
ohh cool..so like scrolls
ohh cool..so like scrolls with ..Treasure?!...lets go find da treasure *Mr. Beast.. *Karl*= YAHHH!!!...ok im just being dumb..ok..so d-don't judge me..*judge*= I judge you! haha ..me= ah cmon i just said DON"T!!!...*sad music plays and is raining and black and white* ..*news lady*= you act like your fine but your really not fine..*beep*..ahem uh..yeah uh cool scroll thing XD
To Maggie M
I am writing out the book of Proverbs too!
@Riley D
Do you do Bible Bee? I did it this year, I qualified 48th place. (still waiting for notational rankings)
history is defiently my
history is defiently my favorite subject
BIble Bee
what is the Bible Bee? never heard of it.
@Andrew O
I also like history, but I think my favorite subject is writing. I'm homeschooled so I don't know what those subjects are like or if they are anything like the ones in my school.
40 people wrote the Bible.
God used forty people to write the Bible
What Bible Bee is....
OKay so, in June there is a Summer Study, which anyone in the world can participate in. They give us a DJ (discovery journal,) which has everything we need to know for the test. They tell us what passage in the bible to study (this year it was in Gen I can’t believe I forgot where!! But it was the story of Joseph and it was 14 chapters) and 15 memory passages and 150 Cross-references and all the other info is in the DJ. In August we do Proclaim Day, where we have to recite 2 passages (one TN and one OT) and take a 10 question test which my mom would get them all right and she didn’t even study lol xD so if you pass that, then you can take the Qualifying Test which is on ALL the Summer Study material, then the top 120 scores (including ties) get to compete nationally in TX, this year though, there was no in-person competition bc of COVID. So for the Nats study, they don’t give us any info except the new Study Passage and Memory Passages (there were 144 and 701 verses) this time we only had 2 month bc of COVID to gather Cross References, Greek Words, Background and historical info, hebrew words form MPs (memory passages) and MPs parallels and quotes. So I kind of freaked out when I heard that we were on our own...but thankfully, all participants have access to an online participant community where we can all connect virtually, and share study material, ideas, and encourage one another. (it’s really amazing!!) I hosted weekly study meetings bc I needed some help xDD I used quizlet to memorize the 400 Greek words and used the former finalists google docs with all the background info and everything else xDD they were so helpful!! So in October, everyone who did the nats study (about 105 kids from Juniors took the test) took the MCT (multiple choice test) to see who got to oral recitations (normally everyone does orals but bc of COVID just 33%) so, I ranked 46th but 89% but didn’t make orals but I’m kinda glad bc I only memorized 160 verses out of 701 so I would have failed horribly xD but a lot of my friends made it and ended up making semis and Finals so that was fun! So the top 15 from orals made Semis and the top 5 from that made Finals.
Uh, what does xDD or xD stand
Uh, what does xDD or xD stand for?
@ David P
It doesn't stand for anything...It's just supposed to be a laughing face: xD or XD. With the eyes all scrunched up. I used to be confused about that too...XD!
@David P
Yeah, me too!!! I think I had to ask about what it was as well!! XD
totolly makes and breaks
totolly makes and breaks sense (just using breaks as a joke XD)