Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-d8cs5 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-26T18:07:16.729Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

26 - Prayer in the Qumran Texts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2008

By
Daniel Falk
Edited by
William Horbury ,
W. D. Davies  and
John Sturdy
Daniel Falk
Affiliation:
University of Oregon
William Horbury
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
W. D. Davies
Affiliation:
Duke University, North Carolina
Get access

Summary

The Dead Sea Scrolls are the single most valuable source for the study of Jewish prayer in the Second Temple period. Other evidence for Jewish prayer practice during this period is notoriously ambiguous: what prayers are preserved appear almost exclusively in literary contexts – either narratives or poetic collections – and references to liturgical prayer are rare. By contrast, in the Dead Sea Scrolls are collections of prayer texts for various designated occasions and indications of a detailed cycle of liturgical prayer such as is otherwise only clearly attested after the destruction of the second temple. Thus, this body of data is potentially a valuable link between the mostly ad hoc prayers glimpsed in the Hebrew Bible and the later synagogue liturgy.

On the other hand, neither the source of these prayers nor the relationship between those who prayed them and Judaism at large are obvious. Some view the prayers in the Dead Sea Scrolls as sectarian products representing a marginal practice of limited relevance to the study of Jewish prayer in general. According to this view, the Yaḥad (a common self-designation for the sectarian community in the Qumran texts) developed its liturgy in the place of the sacrificial cult from which it was alienated, anticipating by over two centuries the ‘service of the heart’ which would emerge after the destruction of the second temple. However, a growing conviction among scholars that many of the Dead Sea Scrolls did not originate within the Qumran community – and many of the prayer texts fall into this category – raises the possibility that these prayers reflect Jewish practice more widely.

Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge History of Judaism , pp. 852 - 876
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baillet, M. ‘Psaumes, hymnes, cantiques et prières dans les manuscrits de Qumrân’ in Le Psautier: Ses origines, ses problèmes littéraires, son influence, Orientalia et Biblica Lovaniensia 4 (Louvain 1962).Google Scholar
Baillet, M.Qumrân Grotte 4, III (4Q482–4Q520). vol. 7 of Discoveries in the Judaean Desert (Oxford 1982).
Baumgarten, J. M. ‘4q 503 (Daily Prayers) and the Lunar Calendar’, Revue de Qumran 12 (1986).Google Scholar
Baumgarten, J. M. ‘4q502, Marriage or Golden Age Ritual?’, Journal of Jewish Studies 34 (1983).Google Scholar
Baumgarten, J. ‘Sacrifice and Worship Among the Jewish Sectarians of the Dead Sea (Qumran) Scrolls’, Harvard Theological Review 46 (1953).Google Scholar
Bickerman, E. ‘The Civic Prayer for Jerusalem’, Harvard Theological Review 55 (1962).Google Scholar
Charlesworth, J. ‘Jewish Hymns, Odes, and Prayers (c. 167 bce–135 ce)’ in Early Judaism and its Modern Interpreters, edited by Kraft, R. A. and Nickelsburg, G. W. E., The Bible and its Modern Interpreters (Philadelphia 1986).Google Scholar
Charlesworth, J. H. (ed.) Rule of the Community and Related Documents, vol. 1 of The Dead Sea Scrolls. Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek Texts with English Translations. With Cross, F. M., et al., The Princeton Theological Seminary Dead Sea Scrolls Project (Tübingen 1994).
Charlesworth, J. H. ed. Damascus Document, War Scroll, and Related Documents, vol. 2 of The Dead Sea Scrolls. Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek Texts with English Translations. With Baumgarten, J. M., et al., The Princeton Theological Seminary Dead Sea Scrolls Project (Tübingen 1995).
Chazon, E. G. ‘New Liturgical Manuscripts from Qumran’ in Proceedings of the Eleventh World Congress of Jewish Studies, Division A, The Bible and Its World (Jerusalem 1994).Google Scholar
Chazon, E. ‘4QDibHam: Liturgy or Literature?’ Revue de Qumran 15 (1992).Google Scholar
Chazon, E. ‘Dibre Hamme’ orot: Prayer for the Sixth Day (4q504 1–2 v–vi)’ in Prayer from Alexander to Constantine: A Critical Anthology, edited by Kiley, Mark et al. (London 1997).Google Scholar
Chazon, E. ‘Is Divrei Ha-me'orot a Sectarian Prayer?’ in The Dead Sea Scrolls: Forty Years of Research, edited by Dimant, D. and Rappaport, U. (Jerusalem 1992).Google Scholar
Chazon, E. ‘On the Special Character of Sabbath Prayer: New Data from Qumran’, Journal of Jewish Music and Liturgy 15 (1992/3).Google Scholar
Chazon, E. ‘Prayers from Qumran and Their Historical Implications’, Dead Sea Discoveries 1 (1994).Google Scholar
Chazon, E. ‘Prayers from Qumran: Issues and Methods’ in Society of Biblical Literature 1993 Seminar Papers (Atlanta 1993).Google Scholar
Chazon, E. ‘Prayers from Qumran: Issues and Methods’ in Society of Biblical Literature 1993 Seminar Papers, edited by Lovering, E. H. (Atlanta 1993).Google Scholar
Eisenman, R., and Wise, M., The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered. The First Complete Translation and Interpretation of 50 Key Documents Withheld for Over 35 Years (Shaftesbury 1992).
Eshel, E., Eshel, H., and Yardeni, A.. ‘A Qumran Composition Containing Part of Pss. 154 and a Prayer for the Welfare of King Jonathan and His Kingdom’, Israel Exploration Journal 42 (1992).Google Scholar
Falk, D. K. ‘Jewish Prayer Literature and the Jerusalem Church in Acts’ in The Book of Acts in its Palestinian Setting, edited by Bauckham, R., The Book of Acts in Its First Century Setting (Grand Rapids 1995).Google Scholar
Falk, D. K.Daily, Sabbath, and Festival Prayers in the Dead Sea Scrolls (Leiden, Brill 1998).
Falk, D. ‘4Q393: A Communal Confession’, Journal of Jewish Studies 45 (1994).Google Scholar
Falk, D. ‘Jewish Prayer Literature and the Jerusalem Church’ in Bauckham, R. (ed.) The Book of Acts in its First Century Setting 4 (Grand Rapids, Michigan 1995).Google Scholar
Fleischer, E. ‘On the Beginnings of Obligatory Jewish Prayer’ (Hebrew), Tarbiz 59 (1990).Google Scholar
Flint, P. ‘The Psalms from the Judaean Desert: Relationships and Textual Affiliations’ in New Qumran Texts and Studies: Proceedings of the First Meeting of the International Organization for Qumran Studies, Paris 1992, edited by Brooke, G. J., STDJ 15, (Leiden 1994).Google Scholar
Flusser, D. ‘Psalms, Hymns and Prayers’ in Jewish Writings of the Second Temple Period. Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Qumran Sectarian Writings, Philo, Josephus, edited by Stone, M. E., vol. 2. Compendia Rerum Iudaicarum ad Novum Testamentum (Assen 1984).Google Scholar
Flusser, D. ‘Qumrân and Jewish ‘Apotropaic” Prayers’, Israel Exploration Journal 16 (1966).Google Scholar
Flusser, D. ‘The Magnificat and the Benedictus’ in Judaism and the Origins of Christianity (Jerusalem 1988).Google Scholar
García Martínez, F.The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated. The Qumran Texts in English, translated by Watson, W. G. E. (Leiden 1994).
Holm-Nielsen, S.Hodayot, Psalms from Qumran (Aarhus 1960).
Jeremias, J.The Prayers of Jesus. Translated by Bowden, J., Burchard, C., and Reumann, J. (Philadelphia 1967).
Kiley, M. et al. Prayer from Alexander to Constantine: A Critical Anthology (London 1997).
Krieg, M. ‘MŌ'ĒD NĀQĀM – ein Kultdrama Aus Qumran’, Theologische Zeitschrift 41 (1985).Google Scholar
Lehmann, M. R. ‘A Reinterpretation of 4Q Dibrê Ham-Me'Oroth’, Revue de Qumran 5 (1964).Google Scholar
Maier, J. ‘Zu Kult und Liturgie der Qumrangemeinde’, Revue de Qumran 14 (1990).Google Scholar
Martinez, F. Garcia. The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated: The Qumran Texts in English, trans. by Watson, W. G. E. (Leiden 1994).
Newsom, C. A. ‘“He Has Established for Himself Priests": Human and Angelic Priest-hood in the Qumran Sabbath Shirot’ in Archaeology and History in the Dead Sea Scrolls. The New York University Conference in Memory of Yigael Yadin, edited by Schiffman, L. H.. Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha Supplement Series 8 (Sheffield 1990).Google Scholar
Newsom, C.Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, a Critical Edition, HSS 27 (Atlanta 1985).
Newsom, C. (ed.) Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice: a Critical Edition (Atlanta 1985).
Nitzan, B. ‘4qBerakhot (4q286–290): Preliminary Report’ in New Qumran Texts and Studies: Proceedings of the First Meeting of the International Organization for Qumran Studies, Paris 1992, edited by Brooke, G. J. and Garcia, F. Martinez, STDJ 15 (Leiden 1994).Google Scholar
Nitzan, B. ‘4QBerakhot‘a–e’ (4Q286–290): A Covenantal Ceremony in the Light of Related Texts’, Revue de Qumran 16 (1995).Google Scholar
Nitzan, B. ‘Benedictions and Instructions for the Eschatological Community (11QBer; 4Q285)’, Revue de Qumran 16 (1993).Google Scholar
Nitzan, B. ‘Harmonic and Mystic Characteristics in Poetic and Liturgical Writings from Qumran’, Jewish Quarterly Review 85 (1994).Google Scholar
Nitzan, B. ‘Hymns from Qumran – 4q510 –4q511’ in The Dead Sea Scrolls: Forty Years of Research, ed. Dimant, D. and Rappaport, U. (Leiden 1992).Google Scholar
Nitzan, B.Qumran Prayer and Religious Poetry (Leiden 1994).
Nitzan, B.Qumran Prayer and Religious Poetry, translated by Chipman, J., STDJ 12 (Leiden 1994).
Puech, É. ‘11qpsaP‘a’: un rituel d'exorcismes. Essai de reconstruction’, Revue de Qumran 14 (1990).Google Scholar
Puech, É. ‘Les deux derniers psaumes Davidiques du rituel d'exorcisme 11qpsaP‘a’ iv 4-V 14’ in Forty Years of Research in the Dead Sea Scrolls, ed. Dimant, D. and Rappaport, U. (Leiden 1992).Google Scholar
Qimron, E. ‘Times for Praising God: A Fragment of a Scroll from Qumran (4q409)’, Jewish Quarterly Review 80 (1990).Google Scholar
Sanders, J. A.The Psalms Scroll of Qumrân Cave 11, vol. 4 of Discoveries in the Judaean Desert of Jordan (Oxford 1965).
Schiffman, L. H.The Eschatological Community of the Dead Sea Scrolls: A Study of the Rule of the Congregation. SBL Monograph Series 38 (Atlanta 1989).
Schiffman, L. ‘The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Early History of Jewish Liturgy’ in The Synagogue in Late Antiquity, edited by Levine, L. I. (Philadelphia 1987).Google Scholar
Schuller, E. ‘Prayer, Hymnic and Liturgical Texts from Qumran’ in The Community of the Renewed Covenant: The Notre Dame Symposium on the Dead Sea Scrolls (Notre Dame 1994).Google Scholar
Schuller, E. ‘Some Observations on Blessings of God in Texts from Qumran’ in Of Scribes and Scrolls: Studies on the Hebrew Bible, Intertestamental Judaism, and Christian Origins Presented to John Strugnell on the Occasion of His Sixtieth Birthday, edited by Attridge, H. W., Collins, J. J. and Tobin, T. H. College Theology Society Resources in Religion 5 (Lanham, MD 1990).Google Scholar
Schuller, E. ‘The Cave Four Hodayot Manuscripts: A Preliminary Description’, Jewish Quarterly Review 85 (1994).Google Scholar
Schuller, E. ‘The Psalm of 4Q372 1 within the Context of Second Temple Prayer’, Catholic Biblical Quarterly 54 (1992).Google Scholar
Schuller, E.Non-Canonical Psalms from Qumran: A Pseudepigraphic Collection, HSS 28 (Atlanta 1986).Google Scholar
Schwemer, A. M. ‘Gott als König und seine Königsherrschaft in der Sabbatlieder aus Qumran’ in Königsherrschaft Gottes und himmlischer Kult in Judentum, Urchristentum und in der hellenistischer Welt, edited by Hengel, M. and Schwemer, A. M., (Tübingen 1991).Google Scholar
Seely, D. R. ‘The Barki Nafshi Texts (4Q434 – 439)’ in Current Research and Technological Developments on the Dead Sea Scrolls, Conference on the Texts from the Judean Desert, Jerusalem, 30 April 1995, edited by Parry, D. W. and Ricks, S. D., STDJ 20 (Leiden 1996).Google Scholar
Skehan, P. ‘A Liturgical Complex in 11QPS‘a’‘, Catholic Biblical Quarterly 35 (1973).Google Scholar
Talmon, S. ‘The ‘Manual of Benedictions” of the Sect of the Judean Desert’, Revue de Qumran 2 (1960).Google Scholar
Talmon, S. ‘The Emergence of Institutionalized Prayer in Israel in Light of Qumran Literature’ in The World of Qumran from Within: Collected Studies (Jerusalem 1989).Google Scholar
Woude, A. S. ‘Ein neuer Segensspruch aus Qumran (11QBer)’ in Bibel und Qumran: Beiträge zur Erforschung der Beziehungen zwischen Bibel- und Qumranwissenschaft, edited by Wagner, S. (Berlin 1968).Google Scholar
Vermes, G. ‘The So-Called King Jonathan Fragment (4Q448)’, Journal of Jewish Studies 44 (1993).Google Scholar
Vermes, G.The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (London 1997).
Vermes, Geza, Jesus and the World of Judaism (London 1983).
Wacholder, B. Z., and Abegg, M. G.. A Preliminary Edition of the Unpublished Dead Sea Scrolls: The Hebrew and Aramaic Texts from Cave Four. Facsicles Two and Three (Washington, DC 1992, 1995).
Weinfeld, M. ‘Grace After Meals at the Mourner's House in a Text from Qumran’, Tarbiz 61 (1991).Google Scholar
Weinfeld, M. ‘Grace After Meals in Qumran’, Journal of Biblical Literature 111 (1992).Google Scholar
Weinfeld, M. ‘On the Question of Morning Benedictions at Qumran’, Tarbiz 51 (1982).Google Scholar
Weinfeld, M. ‘Prayer and Liturgical Practice in the Qumran Sect’ in The Dead Sea Scrolls: Forty Years of Research, edited by Dimant, D. and Rappaport, U. (Leiden 1992).Google Scholar
Weinfeld, M. ‘The Angelic Song Over the Luminaries in the Qumran Texts’ in Time to Prepare the Way in the Wilderness, Papers on the Qumran Scrolls by Fellows of the Institute for Advanced Studies of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, 1989–1990, edited by Dimant, D. and Schiffman, L. H., STDJ 16, (Leiden 1995).Google Scholar
Weinfeld, M. ‘The Heavenly Praise in Unison’ in Meqor Hajjim. Festschrift für Georg Molin zu seiner 75. Geburtstag, edited by Seybold, I. (Graz 1983).Google Scholar
Weinfeld, M. ‘The Morning Prayers (Birkhoth Hashachar) in Qumran and in the Conventional Jewish Liturgy’, Revue de Qumran 13 (1988).Google Scholar
Weinfeld, M. ‘The Prayers for Knowledge, Repentance and Forgiveness in the ‘Eighteen Benedictions” – Qumran Parallels, Biblical Antecedents, and Basic Characteristics (Hebrew)’, Tarbiz 48 (1979).Google Scholar
Wise, M., Abegg, M., and Cook, E.. The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation (New York 1996).
Yadin, Y.Tefillin from Qumran (Jerusalem 1969).
Zahavy, Tz. ‘The Politics of Piety. Social Conflict and the Emergence of Rabbinic Liturgy’ in The Making of Jewish and Christian Worship, edited by Bradshaw, P. F. and Hoffman, L. A. (Notre Dame and London 1991).Google Scholar
Zahavy, Tz. ‘Three Stages in the Development of Early Rabbinic Prayer’ in From Ancient Israel to Modern Judaism. Intellect in Quest of Understanding. Essays in Honor of Marvin Fox, vol. 1, edited by Neusner, J., Frerichs, E. S., and Sarna, N. M. (Atlanta 1989).Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×