The War Scroll
The war scroll from cave 4, extra fragments
1 ... There shall be one thousand cubits between the [camp and the
latrine and] no nakedness [whatever] shall be seen in their
surrounding.
2 And when they set out to prepare the battle [to cur]b [the
enemy, there shall be] among them some exempted in the lot of each tribe according to their numbered men for [each] day’s duty.
3 On that day, some men from all their tribes shall set out from their camps towards the House of Meeting ... the [Priest]s, the Levites, and all the chiefs of the camps shall go out towards them. They will pass there before ... according to the Thousands, Hundreds, Fifties and Tens.
4 Whoever shall not [be clean because of his ‘fount’ on] that [nig]ht shall not go with them to the battle, for the holy angels shall be with their formations together ... When the formation called up for that day’s battle to pass to all ... of the war, three formations shall stand,
formations behind formations.
5 They shall set a space between [all] the formations [and they shall go out] to battle in succession.
6 These are the [foot-soldie]rs and beside them the [horse]men.
7 [They shall stand between the forma]tions
8 And if they set up an ambush for a formation, the three ambushing formations shall be at a distance and shall not ri[se] ... of the war and they [shall he]ar the trumpets of Alarm and the [foot-]soldiers [will begin to bring dow]n the guilty dead.
9 Afterwards the ambush shall rise from its hiding-place arranged in formations.
10 The reassembly: from the right and from the left, from be[hind and from the front, f]our direction[s] ... in the battles of annihilation.
11 And all the formations engaged in combat with the ene[my will be in] one [place.
12 The f]irst formation [will go out to the battle] and the second stand ... on their post. With the completion of their time, the first shall return and rise ...
13 The sec[ond] ... When the battle is joined. And the second
formation shall have completed its time and they shall return and st[and on their post]. And the th[ird] ..
14 And the chief Priest and his brethren, [the Priests, and] the Levites and the m[en of the orde]r [shall stand.
15 And the Priests shall blow the trumpets continuously ... and a girdle of fine cloth of flax embroidered with blue, purple and scarlet threads, a many-coloured design produced by a craftsman, and a fine linen tunic and fine linen breeches and a mitred turban [on their heads]
6 They shall not take them to the sanctuary f[or] they are ba[ttle] raiments. According to all this rule ...
The book of war
1 ... because of Thy name and ... Michael, G[abrie]l, [Sariel and Raphael] ... with the elect of ...
2 ... wickedness will be smitten ... [the Prin]ce of the Congregation and all Is[rael] ... [which wa]s written [in the book of Ezekiel the Prophet, "I will strike your bowfrom your left hand and will make your arrows drop from your right hand.] On the mountains of [Israel you shall fall]" ... [the king of] the Kittim ... [the Pr]ince of the congregation [will pursue them] as far as the [Great] Sea ... [and they shall fle]e from before Israel.
3 In that time ... he shall stand against them and they shall be
stirred against them ... and they shall return to the dry land. In that time... and they shall bring him (the king of the Kittim?) before the Prince [of the Congregation].
The Messiah, Branch of David
1 [As it is written in the book of] 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 Br[anch of David] will kill him [ ... by strok]es and by wounds. And a Priest [of renown(?)] will command [ ... the s]lai[n] of the Kitti[m ... ]
2 Answering, he shall say] to the sons of [I]srael: May you be blessed in the name of the Most High [God] ... and may His holy name be blessed for ever and ever.
3 [May all His holy angels be blessed. May] the M[ost High] God [bless] you.
4 [May He shine His face towards you and open for you His] good [treasure] which is in heaven [to bring down on your land] showers of blessing, dew, rain, [early rain] and late rain in His/its time, and to give [you the fruit of the produce of corn, wine and o]il plentiful.
5 And may the land [prod]uce for [you fruits of delight. And you
shall eat and grow fa]t.
6 And there shall be no miscarriage [in yo]ur [la]n[d] and no [sickness, blight or mildew] shall be seen in [its] produ[ce.
7 And there shall be no loss of children n]or stumbling in [your]
congrega[tion, and wild beasts shall withdraw] from your land and there shall be no pestil[ence in your land.]
8 For God is wi[th you and His holy angels stand in your congregation, and His] holy [name] shall be invoked upon you ... in your midst...
9 And he shall bless them in the name [of the God] of Israel.
10 Answering he shall say, ... to the sons of Israel: May [yo]u be blessed for ever and ever and may His ... be blessed ... and may His holy angels be blessed.
11 May the Most High God bless you.
12 May He shine His face towards you and open to you His good treasure which is in heaven to bring down on your land showers of blessing, dew, rain, early rain and late rain in His/its time to give you the fruit of the produce of corn, wine and oil plentiful.
13 May the land produce for you fruits of delight. And you
shall eat and grow fat.
14 And there shall be no miscarriage in your land and no sickness, blight or mildew shall be seen in its produce.
15 There shall be no loss of children, nor stumbling in your congregation and the wild beasts shall withdraw from [your land.]
16 The sword shall not pass through your land.
17 For God is with you and His holy angels shall be present in your congregation, and His holy name shall be invoked upon you.