Dix ans de découvertes dans le Désert de Juda (Ten Years of Discoveries in the Wilderness of Judaea / 1957 Milik), book

Dix ans de découvertes dans le Désert de Juda (1957) is a book by Józef T. Milik.

Abstract

The title of Milik’s Ten Years of Discovery in the Judean Wilderness (1957) suggests that the book focuses only upon the discoveries, with all of the plot twists and intrigues that they entailed. Although Milik spends the first two chapters discussing the discoveries and the texts of the Qumran library, and a final chapter discussing the significance of the discoveries, the heart of the book is a history of the Essenes. Milik utilized the Qumran writings, classical authors, Josephus, and archaeological evidence to establish the parameters of Essenism. Milik was one of the early advocates of the Essene Hypothesis, identifying the Essenes with the inhabitants of Qumran. Milik suggests that the final phase of the Essene community had militant Zealot characteristics. Even though this text was written in the early phases of Qumran studies, it still contains valuable insight into the character and history of Essenism.

Editions and translations

Published in Paris [France]: Cerf, 1957. Translated into Italian (1957), English (1959), and Polish (1968).

• Dieci anni di scoperte nel deserto di Giuda (1957 Milik), book (Italian ed.)
• Ten Years of Discoveries in the Wilderness of Judaea (1959 Milik), book (English ed.)
• Dziesiec lat odkryc na pustyni judzkiej (1968 Milik), book (Polish ed.)

Table of contents

I. The Story of the Discoveries

    The first manuscript cave of the Qumran area (1Q)
    Discoveries at Murabba'at Caves II and III at Qumran
    Hirbet Mird and a cache from the Second Revolt
    Qumran Caves IV, V and VI
    Qumran Caves VII-XI and a new cave at Murabba'at

II. The Qumran Library

    How the scrolls were written
    Biblical manuscripts:
        The Torah
        The Former Prophets
        The Latter Prophets
        The Writings
    The Hebrew of the biblical text:  new data
    The Deutero-canonical books or Apocrypha
    The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha:
        Jubilees
        The Book of Enoch
        The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
        Other Old Testament Pseudepigrapha
    Sectarian literature:
        The Rule of the Community
        The Damascus Document
        The Rule for the War; the Hymns
    Commentaries on the biblical books
    Other writings found at Qumran

III. History of the Essenes

    A text from Pliny
    The exploration of Qumran
    Description of the ruins
    The phases of occupation at Qumran
    Qumran and the Essenes
    The evidence of the Qumran texts
    The Damascus Document
    4Q Testimonia
    The Habakkuk Commentary
    Other allusions
    The Teacher of Righteousness
    Synthesis
    Conclusion

IV. Essene Organization and Teachings

    The hierarchy
    Admission of new members
    Ora et labora
    The sacred banquet
    The calendar and the feasts
    The True Israel and the New Covenant
    The two spirits
    The spiritual life of the Essenes
    The eschatological war
    The two Messiahs

V. The Discoveries in the Judaean Wilderness and their Importance

    Documents spread over two thousand years
    The linguistic importance of the discoveries
    Palaeography
    Historical and onomastic importance of the texts
    Legal importance of the texts
    The Qumran texts and Hebrew literature
    The discoveries in the Judaean Desert and the history of religions

Chronological Table Bibliography Additional Notes Index of Subjects Index of Passages Cited