The History of Israel from the Perspective of the Qumran Community’s Texts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/BPTh.2026.010Keywords
history of Israel, new Israel, new covenant, Qumran communityAbstract
The article surveys the historiographical elements found in the manuscripts of the Qumran community in order to grasp the community’s perspective on the history of Israel. Since history is subordinated to paraenesis in the community’s texts, the article adopts a chronological approach, discussing Israel’s history from the creation of the world to the foundation of the community. In the preserved writings, the history of Israel appears as a sequence of failures in both the pre-exilic and post-exilic periods. The portrayal of Israel’s past in such dark tones served to justify the need for a new Israel—a community founded upon new revelation and a new covenant. In raising up the community, God remained true to the promise given to its ancestors, and the future, in the community’s view, belongs to the new Israel alone. Thus, reflection on the past is important only insofar as it serves to illuminate the history of the community and to deepen its sense of identity.
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