Description
The War Scroll at Qumran (1QM) is a rich text that describes the battle between the Sons of Light on one side and Belial and the Sons of Darkness on the other. Allusions of Scripture throughout the scroll promise God’s support of the Sons of Light, but only columns 10–12 directly cite Scripture. Melgar argues that these citations are used prophetically by looking to the past in order to predict the future, when God will fully establish his reign and his fellowship with the Sons of Light. By integrating theories from biblical and literary studies, Melgar reads these citations within a web of intertextual connections and suggests that they provide a window into the religious beliefs of the sectarians at Qumran.
Table of Contents
Abbreviations
Introduction
a. Scriptural Traditions in 1QM
b. Thesis Statement
c. Content and Purpose of 1QM 10–12
d. Organization of the Present Study
1. Methodology
a. Intertextuality
b. Intertextual Features
c. Summary
2. Prophetic Exegesis
a. Prophetic Exegesis in Post-Exilic Times
b. Prophetic Exegesis in the Dead Sea Scrolls
c. Summary
3. Prophetic Exegesis in 1QM 10
a. 1QM 10.1–8a: God Fighting for the Sectarian Army
b. 1QM 10.8b–18: God the Sovereign Teacher
c. Summary
4. Prophetic Exegesis in 1QM 11
a. 1QM 11.1–7a: God’s War (המחלמה הכל)
b. 1QM 11.7b–17: God’s Future Exaltation
c. Summary
5. Prophetic Exegesis in 1QM 12
a. 1QM 12.1–5: Israel as the Chosen People
b. 1QM 12.7–18: Final Restoration of Zion
c. Summary
Bibliography
Index
About the Author
César Melgar is Adjunct Professor of Biblical Studies at the Berkeley School of Theology. He specializes in the interpretive traditions of prophetic literature, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and other Second Temple literature.
