The Dead Sea Scrolls, Volume 5B

Book excerpt: This volume of the Princeton Theological Seminary Dead Sea Scrolls Project significantly helps us understand Jewish interpretations of Torah, preoccupations with purity, penchants for creating new prayers, the need to bless the Creator at all times, the sacredness of the land, eschatology, and celebrating the importance of the Creator "God" and "Israel." Thanks to improved images supplied by the Israel Museum and focused research of other specialists, many of these compositions are significantly improved, some fragments are read for the first time, and names are provided to fragments that have been considered “insignificant.” If the Bedouins tore manuscripts, cast others aside, and repaired sandals with others and if most of the manuscripts in the Qumran Caves had deteriorated over time due to exposure, then a small fragment may represent a once-large scroll. Eldon J. Epp and Larry Hurtado provide the Qumran Greek Fragments. Almost all of the rest of the volume is the work of James Charlesworth with Lea Berkuz, but contributions by Daniel Gurtner, Blake Jurgens, and one contribution each by Jolyon Pruszinski and B. Allen complete the volume. Additionally, Henry W. Morisada Rietz and Loren L. Johns served as Associate Editors.