Product Details

LA Times Book Review

Vermes's translations are the most accurate and the most readable, and the format of his volume makes them the most accessible

Publishers Weekly

The Dead Sea Scrolls have generated as much misinformation as information in the 50 years since a young Bedouin shepherd stumbled upon them in the hills of Judea. It is fortuitous, then, that this new edition is an English translation of all the existing Dead Sea Scrolls collected together in one volume. Vermes has been studying and translating the scrolls since their discovery in 1947, and his was among the earliest translations of the scrolls to be published. His goal in this volume is to "disclose the message of these ancient manuscripts about ancient Judaism and to a more limited extent about early Christianity." Vermes's account of the discovery of the scrolls and the events subsequent to the discovery, including political intrigue, makes for fascinating reading. His discussion of the Essene community, whom Vermes believes created the scrolls, the scrolls' meanings for early Christianity and other topics will be valuable to anyone looking for accurate summaries of the fascinating history of the discovery, translation and transmission of the scrolls. The translations of the Dead Sea Scrolls texts follow established scholarly divisions, e.g., "Hymns and Poems," "Calendars, Liturgies, and Prayers," "Apocalyptic Works" and "Wisdom Literature." (July)

Library Journal

This one-volume translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls joins those of Florentino Garcia Martinez (The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated, Eerdman's, 1996) and Michael Wise and others (The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation, LJ 12/96) and is the latest edition of The Dead Sea Scrolls in English, first published in 1962. In a 90-page introduction, Vermes (emeritus, Jewish studies, Wolfson Coll., Oxford) briefly summarizes the 50-year history of scrolls research. He presents an overview of the sectarian community associated with the scrolls (whom he identifies as the Essenes), its history, and its beliefs. Though dubbed "complete" (the preface explains that "meaningless scraps or badly damaged manuscript sections are not inflicted on the reader"), Vermes's translation is generally the most selective of the three. This sometimes saves the reader from the possible frustration of line upon line of brackets and ellipses, but it gives a limited idea of the extent of the textual material available. However, the translation is good and has stood as the standard for many years. As with Bibles, libraries should have more than one version of the Dead Sea Scrolls.Craig W. Beard, Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham Lib.

What People Are Saying

The Dead Sea Scrolls In English reflects the painstaking care and mature judgement of Geza Vermes, a scholar who has followed the scrolls from the beginning. The introductory chapters provide an articulate assessment of Dead Sea Scrolls research, past and present, and a vivid picture of the community whose library contained such a rich diversity of material. The clear and accurate translations of the texts are characterized by a literary quality which will make them accessible to readers of all levels. (Professor of Biblical Studies at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem; Editor-in-Chief of the Dead Sea Scrolls Publication Project .)

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents