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11Q13

The Heavenly Prince Melchizedek

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Column 2

1 […] … […] 2 […] and as for what it says, “In [this] year of jubilee [each of you shall return to his property,” and about it he said, “And] this 3 [is the manner of the release:] every creditor shall release what he has lent [to his neighbor. He shall not press his neighbor or his brother, for there has been proclaimed] a release 4 for God.” [Its interpretation] for the end of days concerns the captives, who […] and whose 5 teachers have been hidden and kept secret, and from the inheritance of Melchizedek, for […] … and they are the inheritance of Melchizedek, who 6 will bring them back to them. He will proclaim liberty to them,⁠ to release them from [the burden of] all their iniquities.⁠ And [thus] this thing will happen 7 in the first week of the jubilee that follows the nine jubilees.⁠ The Day of Atonement is the end of the tenth jubilee,⁠ 8 to atone on it for all the sons of [light]⁠ and the men of the lot of Melchizedek. […] … upon them … according to all their deeds, for 9 this is the time of the year of favor for Melchizedek⁠ and for his armies, the people of the holy ones of God, for a reign of judgment, as it is written 10 about him in the songs of David, who said, “God stands in the assembly [of El]; in the midst of the gods he judges.”⁠ And about him he said, “And above it 11 return to the heights; God will judge the peoples.”⁠ As for what he said, [“How long] will you judge unjustly and show favor to the wicked? Selah,” 12 its interpretation concerns Belial and the spirits of his lot,⁠ who […] … in their turning away from the statutes of God [to act wickedly]. 13 But Melchizedek will carry out the vengeance of the judgments of God, [and on that day he will] deliver them [from the hand of] Belial⁠ and from the hand of all the spirits [of his lot]. 14 To his aid come all the gods [of righteousness], and he is the one who […] all the sons of God, and the … 15 this … is the day [of peace], of which he spoke [… through] Isaiah the prophet, who said, [“How] lovely 16 on the mountains are the feet of the herald who proclaims peace, the herald [of good news who proclaims salvation], who says to Zion, ‘Your God [is king].’” 17 Its interpretation: the mountains [are] the prophets, they … […] … for all … […] 18 And the herald is the one anointed of the spirit,⁠ as Daniel said [about him, “Until an anointed one, a prince, there are seven weeks.” And the herald of] 19 good news who proclaims [salvation] is the one about whom it is written that […] 20 “to comfort the [mourners.” Its interpretation:] to instruct them in all the ages of the world […] 21 in truth … […] … […] 22 … […] was removed from Belial and will return […] … […] 23 […] by the judgments of God, as it is written about him, [“who says] to Zion, ‘Your God is king.’” Zion is 24 [the congregation of all the sons of righteousness, those] who uphold the covenant, who turn aside from walking in the way of the people. And “your God” is 25 [… Melchizedek, who will] deliver them from the hand of Belial. As for what he said, “You shall sound the horn throughout all the land,”

Texts in conversation

Compare Psalm 82:1 and 11Q13 2:10

Hebrew Bible · Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Interpretation

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Summary

Psalm 82 opens with God standing in a divine assembly to judge other gods. The Melchizedek scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls quotes this and says Melchizedek is the one who judges, with the gods on trial identified as Belial and his spirits.

Passages

Psalm 82:1

Hebrew Bible
1 A psalm of Asaph. God stands in the assembly of El; in the midst of the gods he renders judgment. 2 He says, “How long will you make unjust legal decisions and show favoritism to the wicked? (Selah) 3 Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless. Vindicate the oppressed and suffering.
600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

11Q13 2:10

Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Interpretation · The Heavenly Prince Melchizedek
9 this is the time of the year of favor for Melchizedek and for his armies, the people of the holy ones of God, for a reign of judgment, as it is written 10 about him in the songs of David, who said, “God stands in the assembly [of El]; in the midst of the gods he judges.” And about him he said, “And above it 11 return to the heights; God will judge the peoples.” As for what he said, [“How long] will you judge unjustly and show favor to the wicked? Selah,” 12 its interpretation concerns Belial and the spirits of his lot, who […] … in their turning away from the statutes of God [to act wickedly]. 13 But Melchizedek will carry out the vengeance of the judgments of God, [and on that day he will] deliver them [from the hand of] Belial and from the hand of all the spirits [of his lot].
100–50 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in 11Q13

References

"... This thematic constellation also appears in a text in the Dead Sea Scrolls that cites Psalm 82 in connection with the figure of Melchizedek. This text, 11QMelchizedek (11Q13, column II), draws on a number of scriptural texts to explain the eschatological judgments to be executed; these include the condemnation of wicked spirits, which the text explicates by citing Psalm 82:1-2. For 11QMelchizedek, the ’elohim of Psalm 82:1 are nothing more than "Belial and the spirits of his lot." This passage shows a second shift with respect to ’elohim: Melchizedek himself is represented no longer as a non-Israelite king of Israel’s past, but as a major divine force serving with "all the gods" in the eschatological plan of God (column II, line 14). The figure of Melchizedek is also characterized in the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice at Qumran as "priest in the [divine] assem[bly]" (4Q401, fragment 11, line 3), a characterization that perhaps echoes the council of God in Psalm 82:1 and shows another reconfiguration of this thematic constellation. ..."
Mark S. Smith, God in Translation: Deities in Cross-Cultural Discourse in the Biblical World, FAT 57 (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2008), 213–214.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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