Oldest Ancient Manuscripts of the Old Testament: The Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea scrolls are the Oldest Old Testament Greek and Hebrew Bible manuscripts that originate from five sites on the western shore of the Salt Sea at six sites: Qumran, Wadi Murabba'at, Wadi Sdeir, Nahal Hever, Nahal Se'elim and Masada. Bible manuscripts from the time of Christ have verified the Old Testament text we posses today have not changed in 2000 years.

Geographic Discovery Sites

Ancient Bible manuscripts called “Dead Sea Scrolls” originate from five primary sites listed in their geographic order north to south:

  • a. Qumran
  • b. Wadi Murabba'at: Bar Kokhba Revolt Refuge Cave (132-135 AD)
  • c. Wadi Sdeir (cave of David at Engedi)
  • d. Nahal Hever: Bar Kokhba Revolt Refuge Cave (132-135 AD)
  • e. Nahal Se'elim
  • f. Masada: First Jewish War (66-74 AD)

As part of the archaeological context, Wadi Daliyeh is considered a Dead Sea Scroll Cave but no Bible manuscripts were found there. You can visit the Seven Scroll Discovery Sites: Qumran | Wadi Murabba'at | Wadi Sdeir Nahal Hever | Nahal Se'elim | Masada | Wadi Daliyeh.

Textual Classifications and Variants

Scholars have organized the findings into specific categories. Tov classifies biblical manuscripts into five groups (which may overlap): Texts written in what he terms the “Qumran practice,” Proto-Masoretic texts, pre-Samaritan texts, texts close to the presumed Hebrew source of the LXX, and non-aligned texts (1998: 294–98).

Specifically, the Ancient Dead Sea Bible manuscripts include:

  1. 1. Hebrew DSS that agree with the LXX against the MT
  2. 2. Hebrew DSS that disagree with both the LXX and MT
  3. 3. Hebrew DSS that validate the Samaritan Pentateuch and LXX
  4. 4. 40 “Samaritan Pentateuch Harmonizations” seen in DSS
  5. 5. 154 Dead Sea Scroll variants identical to SP & LXX

The Greek Septuagint (LXX)

Nahal Hever produced the most important Greek LXX Biblical manuscripts of the minor prophets. At 32 feet, the scroll of the 12 minor prophets is the largest Dead Sea Scroll ever found! It is a Greek copy of the Septuagint that dates to 50 BC. As it is written, "Scripture cannot be broken" (Jesus, John 10:35).

Remarkably, fragments of Greek Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy were even found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, a testimony to how far the Greek Bible penetrated the homeland of Israel. The LXX was also used by the Jews in Palestine.

Museum Collections and Archives

Both Hebrew and Greek manuscripts of the Tanakh (Old Testament) have been discovered and currently reside in museums. Virtually all of the Dead Sea Scrolls from Qumran (and a number of other sites: Wadi Daliyeh, Masada, Wadi Murabba‘at, Nahal Hever, Ketef Jericho, Nahal Sdeir, Nahal Mishmar, Nahal Se’elim) are housed in Jerusalem in the Shrine of the Book, a museum dedicated for that purpose in 1965.

Museum/Location Manuscripts Found
Jerusalem, Shrine of the Book 1QIsa, 1QS and 1QpHab
Amman, National Archaeological Museum of Jordan 4Q175, 4Q162 and 4Q109

Another important ancient source of Bible texts are small papyrus Phylactery and Mezuzah manuscripts which were considered to be favorite passages. These have been excavated at several sites: Qumran (27 fragments from Cave 4 and 2 fragments from Cave 8), Wadi Murabba'at (2 fragments), and Nahal Se'elim (2 fragments).