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4Q174

4QFlorilegium

About this book

Fragments 1-2 i

1 […] … enemy [… and no] son of iniquity [shall afflict him again] as at the first, and from the day when 2 [I appointed judges] over my people Israel.” This is the house that […] … [in] the last days, as it is written in the book of 3 [Moses, “The sanctuary, O Lord, that] your hands established. The LORD will reign forever and ever.” This is the house into which shall not enter 4 […] forever, nor an Ammonite, nor a Moabite, nor a bastard, nor a foreigner, nor a sojourner, forever, for my holy ones are there. 5 … […] forever; continually it will be seen over it. And strangers shall not make it desolate again, as they formerly made desolate 6 the sanctuary of Israel because of their sin. And he said to build for him a sanctuary of man, for there to be in it those who send up in smoke to him,⁠ 7 before him, works of the Torah. And as for what he said to David, “I [will give] you [rest] from all your enemies”: that he will give them rest from all 8 the sons of Belial who make them stumble, to destroy them … as they came with a plan of Belial to make the sons of 9 light stumble, and to plot wicked plots against them, to … his soul for Belial in their … error. 10 And the LORD declares to you that he will build you a house. “And I will raise up your seed after you, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom 11 forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me.” This is the branch of David, who arises with the interpreter of the Torah,⁠ who 12 […] in Zion in the last days, as it is written, “And I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen.” This is the booth of⁠ 13 David that is fallen, who will arise to save Israel. 14 Midrash of “Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked.” The interpretation of the matter […] those who turn aside from the way of […] 15 as it is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet for the last days, “And it was as with a strong [hand, and he turned me aside from walking in the way of] 16 this people.” And they are the ones about whom it is written in the book of Ezekiel the prophet, that “they shall [not defile themselves any more] 17 with their idols.” They are the sons of Zadok and the men of their counsel … after them to the council of the community. 18 [“Why do] the nations [rage] and the peoples plot [emptiness? The kings of the earth] take their stand, and rulers conspire together against the LORD and against 19 [his anointed.” The] interpretation of the matter [… the] nations, and … […] the chosen ones of Israel in the last days.

Texts in conversation

Compare 2 Samuel 7:14 and 4Q174 1:11

Hebrew Bible · Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Interpretation

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Summary

In 2 Samuel, God promises to be a father to the son who will succeed David. In 4Q174 from the Dead Sea Scrolls, the promise applies to a future ruler from David’s family who will appear alongside an interpreter of the Torah.

Passages

2 Samuel 7:14

Hebrew Bible
12 When the time comes for you to die, I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent. 14 I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings. 15 But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will stand before me permanently; your dynasty will be permanent.’”
600–501 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in 2 Samuel

4Q174 1:11

Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Interpretation · 4QFlorilegium
10 And the LORD declares to you that he will build you a house. “And I will raise up your seed after you, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom 11 forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me.” This is the branch of David, who arises with the interpreter of the Torah, who 12 […] in Zion in the last days, as it is written, “And I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen.” This is the booth of 13 David that is fallen, who will arise to save Israel.
160–60 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in 4Q174

References

“... 'The Lord declares to you that He will build you a House. I will raise up your seed after you. I will establish the throne of his kingdom [for ever]. [I will be] his father and he shall be my Son.' He is the Branch of David who shall arise with the Interpreter of the Law [to rule] in Zion [at the end] of time. So we see here Nathan's prophecy applied, as might be expected, to a Davidic or princely Messiah, but the link with 'the Interpreter of the Law', shows how strong was the expectation at Qumran of at least two eschatological figures. ...”
Robert D. Rowe, God's Kingdom and God's Son: The Background in Mark's Christology from Concepts of Kingship in the Psalms, AGJU 50 (Leiden: Brill, 2002), 179.

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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2 Samuel 7:14 and 4Q174 1:11

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