A new exhibition is coming to the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC. in November, bringing a fascinating exploration of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Dr. Bobby Duke, head of the museum’s collections, explained to CBN News why these manuscripts are so important and how they changed our understanding of the Bible.
Before 1947, the oldest Hebrew manuscripts we had were from around 1000 A.D.
But with the discovery of the first cave at Qumran in 1947, we found texts from 1,000 years earlier, from the time of Jesus and his disciples.
This showed us what biblical texts were like at that time.
How were the manuscripts found?
The discovery happened by chance in the 1940s.
Young Bedouins, who were tending their goats and sheep near Qumran, on the northwest coast of the Dead Sea (today’s Judea-Samaria), threw a stone into a cave and heard a crashing sound.
Inside the cave, they found clay jars with parchments.
Later, other caves nearby revealed more scrolls, which included almost every book of the Old Testament except the book of Esther.
The date of these manuscripts shows how well the biblical texts were preserved over time.
Why is this important?
For Dr. Duke, studying the Dead Sea Scrolls increased his confidence in the Bible.
He explains that the English translations we read today are based on very old manuscripts, close to the time of the New Testament.
This shows that the biblical text we have today is faithful to the originals.
What will the exhibition show?
The exhibition, which celebrates 75 years since the discovery of the manuscripts, is organized by the Israel Antiquities Authority.
In addition to fragments of the parchments, visitors will be able to see other objects from Jerusalem, such as pieces of wood from a 1st century boat, similar to those that Jesus and his disciples would use on the Sea of “”Galilee.
Another highlight is the Stone of Magdala, found in the city of Mary Magdalene, which will be displayed for the first time on the East Coast of the USA.
What Do the Manuscripts Reveal?
The manuscripts show what society was like 2,000 years ago, with different religious groups, such as Sadducees, Pharisees and, probably, the Essenes, who lived in Qumran.
It was in this context that Jesus and his disciples announced the arrival of the Messiah.
One of the most impressive manuscripts is the Great Scroll of Isaiah, which contains the entire book of Isaiah, with its 66 chapters.
Dr. Duke highlights an excerpt from Isaiah 1:17, which talks about caring for orphans and widows, a message written in the 8th century BC, preserved in scrolls from 2,000 years ago and still relevant to Christians today.
When and Where?
The “Dead Sea Scrolls” exhibition begins on November 22, 2025 and runs until September 7, 2026, at the Museum of the Bible.
It’s a unique chance to discover these archaeological treasures that connect the biblical past to the present!
Published in 11/01/2025 16h04
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption. Information about DOI, author and institution can be found in the body of the article.
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