4Q398

4QMMT/The Halakhic Letter

Dead Sea Scrolls · 150 B.C.E. - 100 B.C.E.

Based on the text provided by Martin G. Abegg Jr., James E. Bowley, and Edward M. Cook (CC BY-NC 4.0)

4QMMT is a reconstructed composite text from fragments of six separate manuscripts discovered in Cave 4 of Qumran. The text appears to be sent from the leader of the Qumran community to the leaders of the priestly establishment in Jerusalem. When the general substance of this manuscript was first announced to the public, this text was understood to be a letter written by the founder of the Qumran community, the Teacher of Righteousness, to his opponent the Wicked Priest, in order to explain the reasons for the Qumran community's existence. The purpose of the letter was to spell out the differences between the two parties, the Qumran community and the authorities at the Jerusalem Temple, and to summon the leadership of the Jerusalem Temple to a stricter interpretation and application of certain laws.

Fragments 1-3

1 [… And also concerning the] hide of the carcass of the clean [animal]: whoever carries 2 [… its carcass shall not] approach the purity of the [holy …] 3 […] concerning […]

Fragment 4

1 […] they shall enter […] 2 […] … mixing […] 3 […] land […]

Fragment 5

1 […] … […] 2 [… which] they did … […] 3 […] mixing […] 4 […] the woman … […]

Fragment 6

1 […] … […] 2 […] all […]

Fragment 7

1 […] … and the … […] 2 […] for the purity of the … […] 3 […] … […]

Fragment 8

1 […] … […] 2 […] … […]

Fragment 9

1 […] … […] 2 […] holy of [holies …]

Fragment 10

1 […] … […]

Fragments 11-13

1 [the blessings that] came … [1]in the days of Solomon son of David, and also the curses 2 that came in [2]the days of Jeroboam son of Nebat and until the exile of Jerusalem and Zedekiah king of Judah, 3 that he would bring them to […] And we recognize that some of the blessings and the curses have come 4 that are written in the book of Moses. And this is the last days, when they will return in Israel 5 [forever …] and will not turn back. And the wicked will act wickedly, and … 6 and … […] Remember the kings of Israel and consider their deeds: that whoever among them 7 feared [the … of the] Torah was delivered from troubles, and they were seekers of the Torah.

Fragments 14-17 i

1 [in our hand unfaithfulness or falsehood or evil, for to all these we] give 2 [… we have written] them [so that you may understand the] book of Moses 3 [and the books of the prophets and David and the deeds of generation after] generation. [And in the] book it is written 4 [… not for] you, and the former things … 5 [it is written] that you [will turn aside from the way and] evil [will meet] you. And it is written, “And it shall be, when 6 [all] these [things come] [3]upon you in the last days, the blessing 7 [and the] curse, [you will take it] to your heart and return to him with all your heart 8 [and with all] your soul [at the end of the time” …]

Fragments 14-17 ii

1 their iniquities were forgiven. [4]Remember David, who was a man of faithful deeds, and he too 2 was delivered from many troubles and was forgiven. And we too have written to you 3 [5]some of the works of the Torah that we judged good for you and for your people, for we saw 4 in you prudence and knowledge of the Torah. Understand all these things and seek from him that he may set right 5 your counsel and put far from you the plans of evil and the counsel of Belial, 6 so that you may rejoice at the end of the time, when you find that some of our words are true. 7 And [6]it will be reckoned to you as righteousness when you do what is upright and good before him, for your good 8 and for Israel.

Glossary