2,000-Year-Old Dead Sea Scrolls Are Now Available Online
- Posted on September 26, 2011 at 2:53pm by
Billy Hallowell
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JERUSALEM (AP) — Two thousand years after they were written and decades after they were found in desert caves, some of the world-famous Dead Sea Scrolls went online for the first time on Monday in a project launched by Israel’s national museum and web giant Google.
The appearance of five of the most important Dead Sea scrolls on the Internet is part of a broader attempt by the custodians of the celebrated manuscripts – who were once criticized for allowing them to be monopolized by small circles of scholars – to make them available to anyone with a computer.
The scrolls include the biblical Book of Isaiah, the manuscript known as the Temple Scroll, and three others. Surfers can search high-resolution images of the scrolls for specific passages, zoom in and out, and translate verses into English.
The originals are kept in a secured vault in a Jerusalem building constructed specifically to house the scrolls. Access requires at least three different keys, a magnetic card and a secret code. Below, watch to see the vault and the scrolls:
The five scrolls are among those purchased by Israeli researchers between 1947 and 1967 from antiquities dealers, having first been found by Bedouin shepherds in the Juddvean Desert.
The scrolls, considered by many to be the most significant archaeological find of the 20th century, are thought to have been written or collected by an ascetic Jewish sect that fled Jerusalem for the desert 2,000 years ago and settled at Qumran, on the banks of the Dead Sea. The hundreds of manuscripts that survived, partially or in full, in caves near the site, have shed light on the development of the Hebrew Bible and the origins of Christianity.
The most complete scrolls are held by the Israel Museum, with more pieces and smaller fragments found in other institutions and private collections. Tens of thousands of fragments from 900 Dead Sea manuscripts are held by the Israel Antiquities Authority, which has begun its own project to put them online in conjunction with Google. That project, aimed chiefly at scholars, is set to be complete by 2016, at which point nearly all of the scrolls will be available on the Internet.
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Comments (109)
Oak
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:51pmQPWILLIE and MRBUTCHER, not only is Elohim a plural, but then you also have Genesis 1:26 which says, “let US create man in OUR image.” Here’s one writeup that has an explanation.
Report Post »http://bit.ly/qMZUF3
kindling
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 7:55pmElohim is an office like Christ, Eve, and Adam.
Report Post »scout n ambush
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:48pmDead sea scrolls online and freshwater springs opening up in the floor of the dead sea in the same week interesting .
Report Post »YellowFin
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 5:10pmFresh water springs?
Report Post »Do you have a source for this info?
scout n ambush
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 5:26pmYellow Fin israelinationalnews .com german research group finds freswater springts and microrgainisms inthe dead sea
Report Post »webpreacher
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:44pmNot understanding what all the fuss is about, I already have God’s Word to read, to know His will for me, to understand His desire and know how to live in this present evil world. I have His Book, the Bible KJV. I do not need any other, NONE !
here are a few sites that may be of interest to any one.
http://www.Jesus-is-Savior.com
http://www.GodSaid/ManSaid.com
Report Post »cmaxfl
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 6:17pmThe KJV is enough to help you “endure until the end” but the scribes for King James were very aware of the dangers in saying anything that might be considered against the King. It is good to review the other versions using something E-Sword Bible program.
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 9:29pmGo to BibleGateway.com. It has every bible translation I can think of other than the New World Translation.
Report Post »Old Truckers
Posted on September 27, 2011 at 1:10amWebPreacher,
There are a few Bible translations that are far more accurate and easier to read than the KJV.
Perhaps you should do some comparing of a good translation with your KJV and see what the differences are. You don’t want to be so narrow minded as you will just limiting yourself to expanded knowledge.
I am using the New World Translation and I have found it to be very accurate, and easy to read, as it is in modern English. The English spoken in 1611 when the KJV was translated is hard to understand.
A man I talked to once said of the KJV;
“I will stick to my KJV because if it was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me”
I laughed my head off!
Report Post »rfycom
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:43pmYawn
Report Post »jb.kibs
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 5:00pmLOL… pathetic.
Report Post »LOJ
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:34pmThis is great Glen. I am glad everyone can see this proof that Jesus the Messiah existed, is the savior of the World, and Died on the cross and rose again to take away the sins of the world and give everlasting life.
Report Post »qpwillie
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:29pmMy question is, where are y’all reading them? I’ve clicked the links in the Blaze article but all I find there is some images of the scrolls and some commentary on them.
Report Post »Blacktooth
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 5:01pmThe site is here: http://dss.collections.imj.org.il/
Enjoy!
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:28pmGlad to see this has finally become availible online; I have been awaiting it for some time now since first hearing of the project.
Report Post »http://artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (cat folk art)
hogtrashhd
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 9:22pmI have been waiting for this since 1959 when I was 8 years old.. I was so excited when I learned about this discovery.. Over the years I thought we’d never be allowed to see the scrolls.. there were so many discoveries in the 50‘ and we didn’t get to see any.. I lost hope on this one.. and so so many..
Report Post »gmoneytx
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:17pmHave you ever thought about what it would be like when our fragile infrastructure collapses and we no power, no internet, no distribution pipeline for goods and services and have to once again rely on survival skills?!? Bet not. We are really just one light switch away from this happening…It took 4 days for people to fall apart after Hurricane Katrina.
Look at some utube vids of this, people were sitting around waiting for the government to save them…Scary huh?
Report Post »seeyoulaterby
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:35pmOn GBTV Glenn Beck interviewed an Ex-CIA agent. He talked about the leader of Iran wanting to eliminate us. As to your point. Their plan is to disrupt our infrastructure. No water, food pipe lines disrupted. It was frighting. They figure 2 weeks before massive riots.
Report Post »NuffSaid
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:12pmSpectacular. An incredible accomplishment by and incredible group of people. The entire Western world owes a vote of thanks to the janitors.
Report Post »jb.kibs
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:59pmso it’s a “word for word” translation and not a “perception translation”? if so, THAT is SWEET!
Report Post »Bullhorn Guy
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:03pmHoly cow! Where can I sign up? That sounds like an incredible deal, too good to be true! I can’t wait to start buying!
Report Post »Bearfoot
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:59pmWe can do research into the reliability of our present translations and this is so valuable for us, as it bolsters our confidence in the Bibles we hold in our hands.
Report Post »As we compare our translations with the Dead Sea Scrolls, we can see if our translations are accurate, or if they are taking too many liberties in the serious responsibility of translating into, not only English but other languages as well. This is wonderful for serious Bible students.
WhiteFang
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:23pmBearFoot,
Greetings my brother, The Tetragrammaton, YHWH, can be seen in these Scrolls and how the translators treat the NAME of GOD with their various pronunciations is frustrating to me. The ancient Israelites refusal to pronounce it has led to a lose for all mankind. Now some use HaShem as a substitute for God’s name.
Report Post »If our God gave the Israelites His NAME, why would they not use it? Someday we will be refreshed to actually hear God’s Name pronounced correctly. I wonder if it is pronounced Jehovah or Yahweh, or even some other way. At least we have the Tetragrammaton, YHWH.
The most common pronunciation in the last 2000 years is Jehovah.
Blacktooth
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:45pmI have a old King James Bible from 1611. In Exodus 6:3, Psalms 83:18, Isaiah 12:2, 26:4
I find God’s name in those four places. Everywhere else, when the the name of God is represented as YHWH, the title “LORD” is used in it’s place.
Now, “LORD” is not the name of God, but is a title that is applied to God. So, why do translators and people in general refuse to use God’s name?
Why did the new King James Bible take God’s name out of their new translation in the four places I mentioned?
Why?
Report Post »YellowFin
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 5:34pmBlacktooth,
Why?
I consider the effects of the Trinity Doctrine is the reason for the ignorance, and not acknowledging the name of God.
Since many view Jesus to be GOD, and if a scripture identifies our Creator as Jehovah or Yahweh and not with the name Jesus, it is too much for them to handle. So even though the scriptures identify Jesus as God’s son, they have to reject that truth and call him GOD/Jesus.
Jesus is God’s son. That is the truth.
Report Post »DanZee
Posted on September 27, 2011 at 1:25amActually the term “son of God” might be more closely translated as “man of God.” Jesus may have only been identifying himself as a man of God rather than the offspring of God.
Report Post »Bearfoot
Posted on September 27, 2011 at 11:43amDanZee,
Perhaps you are not aware of Colossians 1:15-17, Galatians 4:4, Luke 1:30-35
If you carefully review just these three references you will see the true nature of our Lord Jesus, he being the Son of God.
Report Post »Greenwood
Posted on September 27, 2011 at 10:09pmJesus = Jehovah is salvation
Report Post »Jehovah = He Causes to Become
Baikonur
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:50pmSo fantastic. The Internet truly is the greatest invention ever.
I think the evangelicals will be puzzled when they see the gnostic texts up close. Not a lot of halleluja-ing will be going on once it is all digested.
There is a reason these did not make it into the official version.
Report Post »Randog
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:49pmThis is awesome!
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:06pmThey are 2,000-YEAR-OLD !!! A little out of date (kidding)
Report Post »Baikonur
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:45pmMary Tebbe, go to work! :)
Report Post »ShamanWorld
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:44pmBig deal.The Pyramid texts,and Proverbs of Ptah Hotep(among others) are over 4000 years old and online at sacredtexts.com under“ Egypt”. The men who wrote the dead seas scrolls got their knowledge from these books
Report Post »Old Truckers
Posted on September 27, 2011 at 12:48amDo you just go around saying whatever comes to your mind, or do you have some proof to support you claim?
Report Post »webpreacher
Posted on September 27, 2011 at 9:51amSHAMANWORLD, What? The scrolls were penned by “Hebrew men of God”, and wrote what God himself gave them to write…..HELLO !
@ OLD TRUCKERS, just so you’ll know, I have studied extensively the many translation of Holy Scripture in the English, and have a clear understanding of why they are perverted in nature. You also claim to use the “New World Translation”, huh hint “NEW WORLD”, should be red flag for you !!!
As in “New World Order”,,, what New World, something is new, what?
Tell you what, go to http://www.Jesus-is-Savior.com go to translations and look up YOUR New World Book. if you dare !
As for the KJV, it is proven to be the easiest of all translation, and in spite of what others here (so called scholars) have said and laid claim about it, it is the most accurate being the “Majority Text” translation….PERIOD ! My 7 year old son uses the KJV got saved from the KJV and understands quite easily the 1611 English….HELLO !!!
Satan is still deceiving many using his first war tactic he used way back there in Genesis 3:1
“YEA HATH GOD SAID”….his first assault being on the Word of God, which was posed as a question, the first question found in Holy Scripture, was the assault on the Word of God !!
http://www.GodSaid/ManSaid.com
Report Post »Old Truckers
Posted on September 27, 2011 at 12:00pmwebpreacher,
Take it easy preacher, if you prefer to use the KJV, then fine, be happy.
Report Post »scout n ambush
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:29pmThey are very interesting to read some of them are books that were left out of the bible .Found a link to them at steve quayle.com a couple of years ago.I can’t wait to see all of them .
Report Post »cykoaudio
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:25pmI’ve done archaeology research on Dead Sea Scrolls & the Biblical accounts & historical places in general,&if you’ve EVER read any of my posts you would have known I have talked about the Isaiah scroll before AS PROOF OF BIBLICAL ACCURACY IN TEXTS BEING PASSED DOWN OVER MILLENIA..i.e. ppl like to claim you can’t trust the Biblical texts because they were passed down orally & changed over millenia…WRONG..this ISaiah scroll is carbon dated almost 1k years after original used for the Bible,& as is said in video,is verbatim,exactly word for word.passed down 1k years…this scroll is one of many scientific proof that the Bible was passed down by the BEST scribes watched over by the most educated rabbi’s of the time,& so each text of the Bible was passed down over millenia immaculatley & now you believers should tell ALL YOUR FRIENDS the Bible has NOT changed orally over millenia,,but is THE most accurate historical texts in mankinds history,& this Isaiah scroll is just one proof of many…
Report Post »Johnny916
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:08pmWhat bible would you be referring to read over the others. To me there are many and all of them have different translations. Coming from a Jewish background I purchased a Stone Edition of Tanach (Hebrew bible) from Artscroll. There are numerous verses that differ from the Tanach and Christian bibles. notably Isaiah 7:14 and Psalm 22:17 (16 in the Christian bibles). I guess it is how you see it what counts.
Report Post »webpreacher
Posted on September 27, 2011 at 10:10amCYKOAUDIO, I also have studied and research the same, and will agree 100% with your post. We do have the complete and inerrant Word of God, in the KJV Bible, the Majority Text.
Great Post CYKOAUDIO , thanks for jumping in !
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:23pm.
Report Post »Wish I spoke Dead Sea……….
Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:30pmHow does one know it is being translated correctly?
Report Post »bagelboy
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:36pmLearn Hebrew and translate it yourself?
Report Post »db321
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:08pmAnonymous T. Irrelevant – Do you think for a moment that the Jewish people are going to try to trick you into believing God’s word – if God couldn’t do what makes them think they could.
Report Post »MrButcher
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:22pmreading through it right now….
Looking at “The Songs for the Sabbath Sacrifice” and its references to “gods”??? Huh? When did the ancient Hebrews become polytheistic? Are these typos or poor translations? Any thoughts?
————————–
Ancient antropological religious studies are very fascinating.
Report Post »joe1234
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:37pmthe OT always acknowledges the gods of other nations…
Joshua 24:15
“If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Report Post »qpwillie
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:39pmThe word, “Elohim” which is translated in the old testament as “god” or “God” is definitely the plural form of “El”. However, I have seen the word defined as “innate powers”. My belief is that it simply implies that Yahweh is or posses multiple innate powers and does not imply multiple beings.
Report Post »MrButcher
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:45pmthanks.
Report Post »Firebrand
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:48pm@QP
Report Post »Many names refer to the characteristic that is being shown. The merciful, the loving, the jealous, the wrathful, etc… So, many times the plural form is used to refer to “having all those characteristics”.
Cesium
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 8:49pmfantasy is fun!
Report Post »Doom2022
Posted on September 27, 2011 at 9:57amActually, the Christian concept of a monotheistic of God came out of the Nicean council held about 200 AD were the theologins of the day debated for 80 years on the definition of the Holy Trinity and finally came up with the definition revered today in most Christian churches. In the ancient church the concept of many Gods was standard doctrine. The hebrew word Elohim (Gods) is a sticking point for most scholars today and is usually translated in a way to support the Holy Trinity definition of the Nicean council.
Report Post »Greenwood
Posted on September 27, 2011 at 11:02pm@Doom2022………….Constantine held the First Council of Nicea in 325ce
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:22pmThis is great. Hope they get all of them on the internet.
Report Post »9111315
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:12pmThe Internet shall set us free. . . . and I always thought it was the truth.
Report Post »whatthecrazy
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:10pmWish i could see them in person
Report Post »santramir
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:09pmI wonder how these news are received by the billionaire far east peoples who also have milenary faiths and spiritual believes.
Report Post »MrButcher
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:27pmThey have texts too.
The Hindu text called the Rig-Veda dates back to 1500 BCE.
How do you respond to that?
Report Post »joe1234
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:36pmthats nice…oh and its BC before CHRIST…
Report Post »bibifla
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:20pm@JOE1234
Report Post »There really is no difference between an AD/BC and BCE/CE system when it comes to historical dates. The year 23 AD is exactly the same as the year 23 CE, and 4004 BC is also 4004 BCE. References to historical dates under either classification shouldn‘t create confusion in a researcher’s mind. Major historical dates such as 1492 AD, 1776 AD or 1941 AD would still be rendered as 1492 CE, 1776 CE and 1941 CE. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-ad-bc-bce-and-ce-in-identifying-historical-dates.htm
MrButcher
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 8:19pm@joe
Jesus wasn’t born in the year 0, though. That, numerarically speaking, throws off the calendar if one uses BC to equal “before christ” or the supposed birth of Jesus to signify the year 0. Its historically wrong.
I prefere “common era” or CE/BCE because we are speaking in approximate generalities here, No one living in the 1st century BCE called it such. The Romans were not counting down years (the Western calendar is based on Roman time calculations). If we were to go by the Jewish calendar the current year (2011) would actually be 5772. The Chinese calendar another, etc..
This is also another wonderful subject to think and talk about.
Our modern time measures completley ignore all the neolithic eras and the time before that.
This is very telling.
But do you really want to say today is September 26, 4,500,000,000 (approx)?
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:05pmInteresting. I like archeology. I locks us to the past and gives continuity.
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:05pmIT…no I…….typo
Report Post »Green Eyed Lady
Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:04pmHALLELUJAH!!!!!!!! This is indeed exciting!!!!! AMEN!
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