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 1 Enoch 91:15 and 11Q13 2:7

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Interpretation

Summary

1 Enoch places the judgment of angels in the tenth week of history. In 11Q13 from the Dead Sea Scrolls, a similar ten-part scheme becomes ten jubilees, combining Enoch’s pattern with Daniel’s timetable for atonement.

Passages

1 Enoch 91:15

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses

12 And after that, there will be another, the eighth week, that of righteousness, and a sword will be given to it that a righteous judgment may be executed on the oppressors, and sinners will be delivered into the hands of the righteous. 13 And at its end, they will acquire houses through their righteousness, and a house will be built for the Great King in glory forevermore. 14 And after that, in the ninth week, the righteous judgment will be revealed to the whole world, and all the works of the godless will vanish from all the earth, and the world will be written down for destruction, and all mankind will look to the path of uprightness. 15 And after this, in the tenth week in the seventh part, there will be the great eternal judgment, in which He will execute vengeance among the angels. 16 And the first heaven will depart and pass away, and a new heaven will appear, and all the powers of the heavens will give sevenfold light. 17 And after that there will be many weeks without number forever, and all will be in goodness and righteousness, and sin will no longer be mentioned forever.

300 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Enoch

11Q13 2:7

Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Interpretation · The Heavenly Prince Melchizedek

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].

100–50 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in 11Q13

References

“... The chronological scheme adopted in 11QMelchizedek shares fea- tures with both Daniel 9 and the Enochic Apocalypse of Weeks. As in the lat- ter, history is divided into ten periods, which in 11QMelchizedek are termed “jubilees.” Although in the Apocalypse of Weeks the eschatological age dawns during the eighth “week,” this Qumran text introduces the final period of redemption and judgment during the tenth jubilee (11Q13 2.6–9). If one “jubilee” represents 49 years, then the ten jubilees add up to 490 years, the same duration found in Daniel 9. That the author of the document was aware of and drew upon Daniel 9 directly is likely from the explicit mention of the chapter later on column 2 (2.18; see under sec. D, above). The chronological use of Daniel, however, is creative and is best explained as a combination of the length of time in Daniel 9 with the tenfold structure found in the Apocalypse of Weeks. ...”

Loren T. Stuckenbruck, “The Formation and Re-Formation of Daniel in the Dead Sea Scrolls,” in The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls, ed. James H. Charlesworth (Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2006), 1:126.

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

Column 2

11Q1310 chapters

Compare 1 Enoch 91:15 and 11Q13 2:7

Summary

Passages

1 Enoch 91:15

11Q13 2:7

References

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