What Are the Dead Sea Scrolls and Why Do They Matter?

By Pam Fox Kuhlken and David Noel Freedman

Book Overview

You know the Scrolls are important . . . but you don't really know why.

Sure, there are plenty of scholarly volumes on the Dead Sea Scrolls, full of indexes, footnotes, and jargon for those in the know. But what if you're not a specialist? What if you just want a basic understanding of what the Dead Sea Scrolls are, where they came from, and why they're so important? That's where this little book comes in.

David Noel Freedman and Pam Fox Kuhlken here offer an informed, inside look at these significant ancient texts. Full of humor and behind-the-scenes glimpses into research on the Scrolls, What Are the Dead Sea Scrolls and Why Do They Matter? is a fascinating, accessible guidebook -- perfect for any reader seeking a brief, quality introduction to this inscrutable subject.

Answers a gamut of questions from the general to the paranoid to the somewhat cynical -- for example: What are the Dead Sea Scrolls all about?Who wrote them, why, and in what languages? Have the Scrolls changed our understanding of any passages in the Bible? Who's hiding stolen fragments?Do the Scrolls tell us when the world will end?How has technology improved our ability to study the Scrolls?How much would a Scroll fragment sell for on eBay today?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802844243
• ISBN13: 9780802844248
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
• Length: 141 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Very Readable Edition To Anyone's Collection!

I recently finished reading this nonfiction book & enjoyed reading it very much. What I enjoyed most about this book is how very readable it was. I am not very well schooled, if you will, in terms of religion or various religious thought/beliefs, so felt this book was perfect for the layperson (like myself) who wanted to know more about the Dead Sea Scrolls, where they came from and why they are an important part of history. This book is also written as a series of questions and answers; A format which I also found to be a wonderful way in which to present the topic of the Dead Sea Scrolls. This book is also a short and fast read and very much too the point with regards to the topic at hand.

Very Teachable material

Freedman and Kuhlken present a very teachable primer on the Dead Sea Scrolls. I have purchased half a dozen books on the Scrolls in preparation for an upcoming class I am teaching, and found this book to be unique in 1 way: it anticipates common questions regarding the Scrolls, and provides sound, concise answers. While not the most detail-oriented of the books I purchased, it still contains lots of meat, and none of the sensationalist claims of other, less academic books. This book does not get too lost in the extra-canonical material, discussing mostly the Hebrew Bible material, and its implications and impact on western political and religious thought. Highly recommended when purchased in conjunction with a copy of the DSS Bible, and perhaps Timothy H Lim's "The Dead Sea Scrolls: a very short introduction."

The Dead Sea scrolls...

Selective analysis. Very informative and presented in a question and answer format. Good review of biblical history and how the Dead Sea Scrolls fits in to the big picture.

Dead Sea Scrolls for Dummies

I met the author in a parking lot one day. He mentioned the fact that he was involved with the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Museum. He also mentioned his book which I promptly ordered. Pretty interesting- if you are interested. I like the format of the book-questions and answers. If you truly want to learn about the Dead Sea Scrolls and want it explained in layman's terms, this book is for you!