Vermes,
Geza. The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in
English. New York: Penguin Books, 1998. http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Dead-Scrolls-English/dp/0713991313/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1381787067&sr=8-2&keywords=Geza+Vermes+complete+dead+sea+scrolls
Two
reviews followed by an outline.
Amazon.com Review
It's been
50 years since a Bedouin youth named Muhammed edh-Dhub went looking for a stray
sheep and instead found the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the intervening decades, the
scrolls have been enveloped in a storm of controversy and bitter conflict: the
scholars entrusted with translating and editing the texts sat on many of them
instead, creating suspicions that escalated to conspiracy theories about
supposed cover-ups of sensitive, even damaging material. Geza Vermes, a former
professor of Jewish studies at Oxford and a noted authority on the scrolls,
marks the 50th anniversary of Muhammed edh-Dhub's find with his book The
Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English; the title, however, is misleading,
for the collection of documents is by no means complete.
Vermes has left out the copies of Hebrew scriptures
that are available elsewhere, instead focusing on the sectarian writings of the
Essene community at Qumran and the intertestemental texts, and these are indeed
complete translations. Vermes has also included an overview of five decades of
research on the scrolls and a thumbnail sketch of the Qumran community's
history and religion. For anyone interested in biblical history, The
Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English is a worthwhile read.
From Library Journal
This one-volume translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls
joins those of Florentino Garcia Martinez (The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated,
Eerdman's, 1996) and Michael Wise and others (The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New
Translation, LJ 12/96) and is the latest edition of The Dead Sea Scrolls in
English, first published in 1962. In a 90-page introduction, Vermes (emeritus,
Jewish studies, Wolfson Coll., Oxford) briefly summarizes the 50-year history
of scrolls research. He presents an overview of the sectarian community
associated with the scrolls (whom he identifies as the Essenes), its history,
and its beliefs. Though dubbed "complete" (the preface explains that
"meaningless scraps or badly damaged manuscript sections are not inflicted
on the reader"), Vermes's translation is generally the most selective of
the three. This sometimes saves the reader from the possible frustration of
line upon line of brackets and ellipses, but it gives a limited idea of the
extent of the textual material available. However, the translation is good and has
stood as the standard for many years. As with Bibles, libraries should have
more than one version of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Craig W. Beard, Univ. of Alabama
at Birmingham Lib.
Preface,
Maps, Chronology
1.
Introduction: A Bird’s-eye view of fifty years
of Dead Sea Scrolls research. The present state of Dead Sea Scrolls studies. Qumran and the New Testament. Qumran’s
greatest novelty
2.
The Community.
Appendix: The Essenes and the Qumran Community
3.
The History of the Community
4.
The Religious Ideas of the Community
List of Abbreviations and Notes on This Translation
A.
THE RULES
The Community Rule (1QS, 4Q255-64, 4Q280, 286-7, 4Q502,
5Q11,12)
Community Rule from manuscripts from Cave 4
1. 4QSd=4Q258
2. 2Qsc=4Q259
The Damascus Document (CD,
4Q265-73, 5Q12, 6Q15)
Damascus Document manuscripts
from Cave 4
1. The
opening of the Damascus Document according to 4QD (4Q266-68)
2. Initiation
rules (4Q266)
3. Rules
relation to the disqualification of priest (4Q266, 267, 273)
4. Diagnosis
of skin disease (4Q266, 269, 272, 273)
5. Rules
concerning gleanings and agricultural priestly dues (4Q266, 269, 270, 271)
6. The
penal code and the renewal of the covenant ritual (4Q266, 271)
7. A
hybrid Community-Rule-Damascus Document (4Q265)
The Messianic Rule (1QSa=1Q28a)
The War Scroll (1QM, 1Q33,
4Q491-7, 4Q471)
The War Scroll from Cave 4
(1QM, 1Q33, 4Q491, 493)
The Rule of War (4Q285, 11Q14)
The Temple Scroll (11QT=11Q19,
20, 4Q365a)
MMT (Some Observances of the
Law)(4Q394-99)
The Wicked and the Holy
(4Q181)
4QTohoret (Purities) A (4Q274)
4QTohoret B-C (4Q276-277)
4QTohoret G (4Q284a)
Exhortation by the Master
addressed to the Sons of Dawn (4Q298)
Register of Rebukes (4Q477)
Remonstrances (before
Conversion?) (4Q471a)
B. HYMNS
AND POEMS
The Thanksgiving Hymns (1QH,
1Q36, 4Q427-32)
Apocryphal Psalms (I) (11QPsa=11Q5,
4Q88)
Apocryphal Psalms (II) (4Q88)
Apocryphal Psalms (III)
(11QapPsa=11Q11)
Non-Canonical Psalms
(4Q3810-381)
Lamentations (4Q179, 4Q501)
Songs for the Holocaust of the
Sabbath (4Q400-407, 11Q17, Masada 1039-200)
Poetic Fragments on Jerusalem
and “King” Jonathan (4Q448)
C. CALENDARS,
LITURGIES AND PRAYERS
Calendars of Priestly Courses (4Q320-30)
Calendar Signs (4Q319)
“Horoscopes” or Astrological Physiognomies (4Q186, 4Q534,
4Q561)
Phases of the Moon (4Q317)
A Zodiacal Calendar with a Brontologion (4Q318)
Order of Divine Office (4Q334)
The Words of the Heavenly Lights (4Q504-6)
Liturgical Prayer (1Q34 and 34bis)
Prayers for Festivals (4Q507-09)
Daily Prayers (4Q503)
Prayer or Hymn Celebrating the Morning and the Evening (4Q408)
Blessings (1QSb-1Q28b)
Benedictions (4Q280, 286)
4Q Berakhota: Blessings (4Q286)
4Q Berakhotb: Curses of Belial (4Q286-7)
4Q Benedictions: Curses of Melkiresha’ (4Q280)
Confession Ritual (4Q393)
Purification Ritual (4Q512)
A Liturgical Work (4Q392)
D. APOCALYPTIC
WORKS
Apocalyptic Chronology or Apocryphal Weeks (4Q247)
Conquest of Egypt and Jerusalem or Acts of a Greek King (4Q248)
The Triumph of Righteousness or Mysteries (1Q27, 4Q299-301)
A Messianic Apocalypse (4Q521)
E. WISDOM
LITERATURE
The Seductress (4Q184)
Exhortation to Seek Wisdom (4Q185)
Parable of the Tree (4Q302)
A Sapiential Work (i) (4Q413)
A Sapiential Work (ii) (4Q415-18, 423, 1Q26)
A Sapiential Work (iii): Ways of Righteousness (4Q420-21)
A Sapiential Work (iv) (4Q424)
Bless My Soul (4Q434-37)
Songs of the Sage (4Q510-511)
Beatitudes (4Q525)
F. BIBLE
INTERPRETATION
Introductory Note
Aramaic Bible Translations (Targums)
The Targum of Job (11Q10, 4Q157)
The Targum of Leviticus (4Q156)
Appendix: (A) Greek Bible Translations) (4Q119-22, 7Q1-2)
Appendix: (B) Other Greek Fragments (4Q126-7, 7Q3-19)
The Reworked Pentateuch (4Q158, 364-7)
A Paraphrase of Genesis and Exodus (4Q422)
Genesis Commentaries (1Q20)
Commentaries on Isaiah (4Q161-5, 3Q4)
Commentaries on Hosea (4Q166-7)
Commentary on Micah (1Q14, 4Q168)
Commentary on Nahum (4Q169)
Commentary on Habakkuk (1QpHab)
Commentary on Zephaniah (1Q15, 4Q170)
Commentary on Psalms (1Q16, 4Q171, 4Q173)
Commentary on Unidentifiable Text (4Q183)
Florilegium or Midrash on the Last Days (4Q174)
Testimonia or Messianic Anthology (4Q175)
Ordinances or Commentaries on Biblical Law (4Q159, 4Q513-4)
The Heavenly Prince Melchizedek (11Q13)
Consolations of Tahumim (4Q176)
Catanae or Interpretation of Biblical Texts on the Last
Days (4Q177, 4Q182)
G. BIBLICALLY
BASED APOCRYPHAL WORKS
Jubilees (4Q216-28, 1Q17-18, 2Q19-20, 3Q5, 4Q482, 11Q12)
The Prayer of Enosh and Enoch (4Q369)
The Book of Enoch (4Q201-2, 204-12) and the Book of Giants
(1Q23-4, 2Q26, 4Q203, 530-33, 6Q8)
An Admonition Associated with the Flood (4Q370, 4Q185)
Ages of Creation (4Q180)
The book of Noah (1Q19, 1Q19bis, 4Q534-6, 6Q8, 19)
Words of the Archangel Michael (4Q529, 6Q23)
The Testament of Levi (i) (4Q213-14, 1Q21)
Testaments of the Patriarchs: The Testimony of Levi (ii)
(4Q537-41)
The Testimony of Naphtali (4Q215)
A Joseph Apocryphon (4Q371-2)
The Testimony of Qahat (4Q542)
Sermon on the Exodus and the Conquest of Canaan (4Q374)
A Moses Apocryphon (a) (4Q375)
A Moses Apocryphon (b) (4Q376, 1Q29)
A Moses Apocrypon (c) (4Q377)
Pseudo-Moses (e) (4Q390)
A Moses (or David) Apocryphon (4Q373, 2Q22)
Divine Plan for the Conquest of the Holy Land (4Q522, 5Q9)
A Joshua Apocryphon (i) or Psalms of Joshua (4Q378-9)
A Joshua Apocryphon (ii) (Masada 1039-211)
The Samuel Apocryphon (4Q160)
A Paraphrase on Kings (4Q382)
A Zedekiah Apocrypon (4Q470)
A Historico-Theological Narrative based on Genesis and
Exodus (4Q462-4)
Tobit (4Q196-200)
A Jeremiah Apocryphon (4Q384-5B)
The New Jerusalem (4Q554-5, 5Q15, 1Q32, 2Q24, 4Q232, 11Q18)
Second Ezekiel (4Q385-91)
Para-Danielic Writings (4Q243-5)
The Four Kingdoms (4Q552-3)
An Aramaic Apocalypse (4Q246)
Proto-Esther (?) (4Q550)
H. MISCELLANEA
The Copper Scroll (3Q15)
List of False Prophets (4Q339)
List of Netinim (4Q340)
Entry into the Covenant (4Q275)
Four Classes of the Community (4Q279)
The Two Ways (4Q473)
Hymnic Fragment (4Q255 recto)
Two Qumran Ostraca
I. APPENDIX
Scroll
Catalogue
Index
of Qumran Texts
Major
Editions of Qumran Manuscripts
General
Bibliography
General
Index
No comments:
Post a Comment