Texts in Conversation
In Habakkuk, the prophet is told to write the message on tablets so it can be read easily. The Dead Sea Scrolls community interprets that to say God kept the timing from Habakkuk, revealing it only to their Teacher of Righteousness.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Habakkuk 2:2
Hebrew Bible
1 I will stand at my watch post; I will remain stationed on the city wall. I will keep watching so I can see what he says to me and can know how I should answer when he counters my argument. 2 The Lord responded: “Write down this message. Record it legibly on tablets so the one who announces it may read it easily. 3 For the message is a witness to what is decreed; it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out. Even if the message is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently; for it will certainly come to pass—it will not arrive late.
1QpHab 7
Commentary on Habakkuk
Dead Sea Scrolls
... and God told Habakkuk to write down that which would happen to the final generation, but He did not make known to him when time would come to an end. And as for that which He said, That he who reads may read it speedily: interpreted this concerns the Teacher of Righteousness, to whom God made known all the mysteries of the words of His servants the Prophets. For there shall be yet another vision concerning the appointed time. It shall tell of the end and shall not lie. Interpreted, this means that the final age shall be prolonged, and shall exceed all that the Prophets have said; for the mysteries of God are astounding. If it tarries, wait for it, for it shall surely come and shall not be late. Interpreted, this concerns the men of truth who keep the Law, whose hands shall not slacken in the service of truth when the final age is prolonged. For all the ages of God reach their appointed end as he determines for them in the mysteries of His wisdom. Behold, [his soul] is puffed up and is not upright. Interpreted, this means that [the wicked] shall double their guilt upon themselves [and it shall not be forgiven] when they are judged ... [But the righteous shall live by his faith].
Date: 175 B.C.E. - 100 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Two aspects are remarkable in this interpretation. The first is that it is evident that the Habakkuk commentary relates the prophecy of Habakkuk, in the Bible set in the Babylonian period, to its own time, to the community at Qumran in the 2nd century b.c.e. This application is made explicit in the interpretation of Habakkuk 2:2: “. . . its meaning concerns the teacher of righteousness.” The “teacher of righteousness” is the founder and leader of the Qumran community. He belongs historically to the middle of the second century b.c.e. and was supposedly a high priest from Jerusalem who had a falling out with the establishment over theological questions. This dispute brought about the secession of his followers. He then claims that the prophecy of Habakkuk from the Babylonian period relates, in reality, to activities that took place 500 years later. And connected with this is a second, equally important point. The Habakkuk commentary appears to presuppose that Habakkuk himself was not completely aware of what he prophesied about. ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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