Page 55 - BV10
P. 55
As another example, Scroll 4QOtot implies that the count of the lunar-phase be included
amid the jubilee cycle. This remarkable information is valid, but only if a 50th year is included in
the jubilee count. This respective scroll, and others, oddly shows the omission of the 50th count
(and this very much contradicts the implied exact fit of 7-sets of 7-lunar-quarter-phases into a
50-year cycle). It is then ultimately clear that an original lunar calendar is referred to on certain of
the respective scrolls.
Obviously, the definition of both the lunar-week as well as the count of the 50th (days and
years) were both features of a once-used lunar calendar.
The original count of a lunar-week can also be extracted from Scroll 4Q317, and others of
the Dead Sea Scrolls.
It here seems of related significance that a count of the lunar-week can also be recognized
from an early Jewish document referred to as: The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice. This docu-
ment -- which details songs for 13 progressive Sabbaths -- has been recovered from caves near
Qumran (Dead Sea Scrolls 4Q400-407, and 11Q17) and also (in-part) from the Jewish fortress at
Masada (the Masada Fragment).
The cliff-top fortress located at Masada was destroyed by the Romans about 2 years after
the Temple was overthrown at Jerusalem. It is very significant that the last holders of the Masada
fortress were members of a Jewish movement known as the Zealots. The members of this move-
ment were closely affiliated with the established Temple system (unlike the Essenes). Of consider-
able significance is that portions of the The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice were preserved in a
location other than Qumran (and by a diverse Jewish group).
From the Masada Fragment (and also in part from Scroll 4Q403), the original count of
7-Sabbaths (a count of a week-of-weeks) can seemingly be identified -- as follows:
"...the third of the sovereign Princes...shall exalt the God of the angels on high seven times
with seven wonderful exaltations...the fourth...shall praise the God of mighty deeds seven
times with seven words of [marvelous] praise...the fifth...shall thank the God of glory
seven times with seven words of wonderful thanksgiving...the sixth...shall exult before the
King of goodness...seven times with seven words of wonderful exultation...the seventh of
the sovereign Princes...shall sing to the King of holiness seven times with seven words of
wonderful songs; seven psalms singing his blessings; seven psalms of magnification of
this righteousness; seven psalms of exaltation of this kingship; seven psalms of praises of
his glory; seven psalms of thanksgivings for his marvelous deeds; seven psalms of exulta-
tion of his power; seven psalms singing his holiness...seven times with seven wonderful
words... In the name of his holiness all the sovereign Princes shall bless together the God
of the divine beings in their sevenfold testimonies... ". (Translation borrowed from The
Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, Geza Vermes: Songs for the Holocaust of the
Sabbath).
The Sabbath count revealed on The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice well indicates that the
7th Sabbath was very uniquely special.
55