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.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The New York Times Book Review, Joseph A. Fitzmyer
The result is an excellent up-to-date report on the Dead Sea Scrolls and a competent translation of the bulk of the nonbiblical texts. It will enable the general public to read the nonbiblical scrolls and to judge for themselves their importance.

The New York Times Book Review
Excellent, up-to-date... will enable the general public to read the non- biblical scrolls and to judge for themselves their importance.

Book Description
The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Judean desert between 1947 and 1956 was one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time. Hidden in the caves at Qumran by the Essenes, a Jewish sect in existence before and during the time of Jesus, the Scrolls have transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism, and the origins of Christianity. This fully revised edition of the classic English translation by Geza Vermes, the world’s leading scholar on the subject, offers an astonishing look into the organization, customs, and beliefs of the community at Qumran. Enhanced by much previously unpublished material and a new preface, this will remain the authoritative translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls for years to come.

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Hebrew

About the Author
Geza Vermes was born in Hungary in 1924, and was the first professor of Jewish studies at Oxford. He is the author of The Changing Faces of Jesus and The Authentic Gospel of Jesus.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Judean desert between 1947 and 1956 was one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time. These extraordinary manuscripts appear to have been hidden in the caves at Qumran by the Essenes, a Jewish sect in existence before and during the time of Jesus. Written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, the scrolls have transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism and the origins of Christianity. This is a fully revised edition of the classic translation by Geza Vermes, the world's leading Dead Sea Scrolls scholar. It is now enhanced by much previously unpublished material and a new preface, and also contains a scroll catalogue and an index of Qumran texts.

FROM THE CRITICS

LA Times Book Review

Vermes's translations are the most accurate and the most readable, and the format of his volume makes them the most accessible

Publishers Weekly

The Dead Sea Scrolls have generated as much misinformation as information in the 50 years since a young Bedouin shepherd stumbled upon them in the hills of Judea. It is fortuitous, then, that this new edition is an English translation of all the existing Dead Sea Scrolls collected together in one volume. Vermes has been studying and translating the scrolls since their discovery in 1947, and his was among the earliest translations of the scrolls to be published. His goal in this volume is to "disclose the message of these ancient manuscripts about ancient Judaism and to a more limited extent about early Christianity." Vermes's account of the discovery of the scrolls and the events subsequent to the discovery, including political intrigue, makes for fascinating reading. His discussion of the Essene community, whom Vermes believes created the scrolls, the scrolls' meanings for early Christianity and other topics will be valuable to anyone looking for accurate summaries of the fascinating history of the discovery, translation and transmission of the scrolls. The translations of the Dead Sea Scrolls texts follow established scholarly divisions, e.g., "Hymns and Poems," "Calendars, Liturgies, and Prayers," "Apocalyptic Works" and "Wisdom Literature." (July)

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.

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