Σ Scriptorium Press · The Plainspoken Classics

The Damascus Document — Column 14

The Qumran Community · a new plain-English translation from the original language

📖 Read in the book reader 🎧 Listen (audiobook) 📚 The whole book

who did not come from the day Ephraim turned away from upon Judah [...] and all who walk in these

the covenant of God is faithfulness to them, rescuing them out of every trap laid by the pit, since without warning the simple are caught and punished [...]

And the Rule of the session of all the camps [...] all of them shall be enrolled by their names: the priests first,

and the Levites second, then the sons of Israel in third place, with the proselyte ranked fourth [...] each one recorded there by name,

each man after his brother: the priests first, and the Levites second, and the sons of Israel

third, and the proselyte fourth [...] and thus shall they sit, and thus shall they be questioned about everything [...] and the priest who is appointed

head over the Many, from thirty years old to sixty years old, learned in the book

of Meditation and in all the ordinances of the Law, to speak them according to their ordinance [...] and the Overseer who is

over all the camps, from thirty years old [and] up to fifty years old, skilled in every

council of men, in whatever language matches its meaning [...] by his authority shall those who enter the congregation come in,

each man in his order [...] and concerning every matter which any man has to speak, he shall speak to the Overseer.

for every dispute and judgment [...] And this is the Rule of the Many, to provide for all their needs [...] wages of

two days for every month at the least, and they shall give it into the hand of the Overseer [...] and the judges

from it they shall give for [their wounded], and from it they shall support the poor and needy, and the elder who

[bows down], and the man who [is afflicted], and him who is taken captive by a foreign nation, and the virgin who

[has] no [redeemer], and the youth [who] has no one to seek him out [...] all the work of the community; and let not

[the house of the] [community] be cut off from [their hand] [...] And this is the exposition of the session of the [camp], [and these are the foundations]

[of the] [assembly] [...] And this is the exposition of the judgments by which [they shall judge] [them] [in] [the age]

of [wickedness], [until] the coming of the [Messiah] of Aaron and Israel; and he shall atone for their iniquity [with offering] [and] [sin-offering] [...]

[...] and [whoever] deals falsely with property, and he knows it, shall be [separated] [...]

[...] [and] [be punished] six days [...] and whoever [speaks] [...]

[And] [whoever] [bears a grudge] [against] [his fellow] not according to judgment, [shall be] [punished] [...] [...]

[...] for [...]

An original translation made in 2026 by Scriptorium Press, working directly from the original language text (never from another English translation), in one consistent modern voice. Free to read, download, and listen — no accounts, no ads, nothing for sale.

← All of The Qumran Community: The Dead Sea Scrolls