The War Rule
Serekh
ha-Milhamah
4Q285 (SM)
Parchment
Copied early first century C.E.
Height 4 cm (1 1/2 in.), length 5 cm (2 in.)
Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority (12)
This six-line
fragment, commonly referred to as the "Pierced Messiah" text, is
written in a Herodian script of the first half of the first century C.E. and
refers to a Messiah from the Branch of David, to a judgement, and to a killing.
Hebrew is
comprised primarily 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 (Isaiah 11:4).
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?"
References
Vermes,
G. "The Oxford Forum for Qumran Research: Seminar on the Rule of the War
from Cave 4 (4Q285)," Journal of Jewish Studies 43 (Spring 1992):85-90.
Richard
N. Ostling Is Jesus in the Dead Sea Scrolls? Time (September 21, 1992) Unbound
serial. Hebraic Section, African and Middle Eastern Division, Library of
Congress.
James
D. Tabor A Pierced or Piercing Messiah? -- The Verdict is Still Out Biblical
Archaeology Review 18 (November - December 1992) Unbound serial. Hebraic
Section, African and Middle Eastern Division, Library of Congress.
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]