The Melchizedek text is one of the most remarkable theological documents from Qumran. Found in Cave 11, it presents Melchizedek not as the priestly king of Genesis, but as a heavenly, divine figure who will execute God's judgment at the end of days. Through a chain of biblical quotations — Leviticus, Deuteronomy, the Psalms, Isaiah, Daniel — the text identifies Melchizedek with the Elohim who judges in the divine assembly, and names him as the one who will deliver the sons of light from Belial. Only Column II is substantially preserved; Column III survives in fragments. This translation works directly from the Hebrew transcription of García Martínez and Tigchelaar.
Column II — The Jubilee of Melchizedek
[...] and what he said: "In this year of jubilee you shall return" — each man to his possession. And concerning it he said: "And this is the word of the release: every creditor shall release what his hand has lent to his neighbor. He shall not press his neighbor or his brother, for a release has been proclaimed to God."
Its interpretation: for the end of days, concerning the captives who [...] and whose teachers hid and kept themselves hidden. And from the inheritance of Melchizedek, for [...] and they are the inheritance of Melchizedek, who will return them to themselves and will proclaim liberty to them — to free them from the burden of all their iniquities.
And this shall happen in the first week of the jubilee after the nine jubilees. And the Day of Atonement — it is the end of the tenth jubilee, when atonement shall be made for all the sons of light and the men of the lot of Melchizedek [...] upon them [...] according to all their works. For it is the time of the year of favour for Melchizedek, and for his armies with the holy ones of God — for a dominion of judgment.
As it is written about him in the songs of David, who said: "God stands in the assembly of God; in the midst of the divine beings he judges."
And concerning him he said: "Above it, return on high — God will judge the peoples." And what he said: "How long will you judge unjustly and lift up the face of the wicked? Selah."
Its interpretation concerns Belial and the spirits of his lot, who [...] in their turning away from the statutes of God to do wickedness. And Melchizedek will exact the vengeance of the judgments of God. And on that day he will deliver them from the hand of Belial and from the hand of all the spirits of his lot. And to his aid shall come all the divine beings of righteousness.
And he — he is the one who [...] all the sons of God, and [...] This is the day of peace about which he spoke [...] by the hand of Isaiah the prophet, who said: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the herald who announces peace, who brings good tidings, who announces salvation, who says to Zion: 'Your God reigns.'"
Its interpretation: the mountains — they are the prophets, they who [...] for all [...] And the herald — he is the anointed one of the spirit, as Daniel spoke of him: "Until an anointed one, a prince — seven weeks." And "the one who brings good tidings, who announces salvation" — he is the one written about, concerning whom it says: "to comfort the mourners." Its interpretation: to instruct them in all the ages of the world.
[...] in truth [...] [...] has been removed from Belial [...] and shall return [...] in the judgments of God, as it is written about him: "He says to Zion: 'Your God reigns.'"
"Zion" — it is the assembly of all the sons of righteousness, who uphold the covenant, who turn away from walking in the way of the people. "And your God" — he is Melchizedek, who will deliver them from the hand of Belial.
And what he said: "And you shall sound the trumpet throughout all the land" [...]
Column III — Fragments
Column III survives only in scattered words and phrases.
[...] and know the word [...] [...] God [...] [...] and many [...]
[...] they shall be complete [...] [...] Belial — in fire [...] Belial will rebel [...] [...] against [...] the walls of Jerusalem [...] [...] and to raise a wall and to carry [...] [...] a pillar, and in [...] its appointed time [...]
[...] the end of the jubilee [...] [...] in these [...] two hundred [...] [...] the week [...] [...] the divisions of the times [...]
Colophon
Text: Melchizedek (מלכיצדק, 11Q13)
Source: Qumran Cave 11
Language: Hebrew
Translation: New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026
Translated from: Hebrew transcription of García Martínez, F. & Tigchelaar, E.J.C., The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, Brill, 1997
Register: Gospel (plain, direct, warm)
This is a Good Works Translation. The English was translated directly from the Hebrew source text without consulting any existing English translation. Only Column II of the Melchizedek text is substantially preserved. The text identifies Melchizedek as a heavenly figure — the Elohim of Psalm 82 — who will judge Belial and deliver the sons of light at the end of the tenth jubilee.
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Source Text: Melchizedek — Source Text
Hebrew transcription from the Dead Sea Scrolls. Transcription follows García Martínez & Tigchelaar (Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, Brill 1997). Scholarly apparatus: [...] marks lacunae; [] marks editorial reconstructions; vacat marks intentional blank spaces.
Column II
]…[ל ואשר אמר בשנת היובל ]הזואת תשובו2 […]…[…] 1
]דבר השמטה[ שמוט כול בעל משה יד3 איש אל אחוזתו ועליו אמר וז[ה
לא]ל4 אשר ישה] ברעהו לוא יגוש את רעהו ואת אחיו כיא קרא [שמטה
מוריהמה החבאו5 פשרו [לאחרית הימים על השבויים אשר] … [ואשר
וסתר]ו[ ומנחלת מלכי צדק כי]א …[… והמה נחל]ת מלכי צ[דק אשר
ישיבמה אליהמה וקרא להמה דרור לעזוב להמה] משא [כול עוונותיהמה6
בשבוע היובל הראישון אחר תש]עת ה[יובלים7 ו]כן יהי[ה הדבר הזה
לכפר בו על כול בני8 וי]ום הכפ[ורים ה]וא[ה ס]וף [ה]יו[בל העשירי
]אור ו[אנש]י [גורל מל]כי [צדק] …[.ם עלי]המ[ה הת]… [לפ]י [כ]ול
הואה הקץ לשנת הרצון למלכי צדק ולצב]איו ע[ם קדושי9 עש[ותמה כיא
עליו בשירי דויד אשר אמר אלוהים10 אל לממשלת משפט כאשר כתוב
למרום11 []נ[צב בע]דת אל [בקורב אלוהים ישפוט ועליו אמ]ר ו[עלי]ה
שובה אל ידין עמים ואשר א]מר עד מתי ת[שפוטו עוול ופני רשע]י[ם
פשרו על בליעל ועל רוחי גורלו אש]ר …[.ים בסו]רמ[ה12 תש]או ס[לה
ומלכי צדק יקום נקם משפטי א]ל וביום החואה13 [מחוקי אל ל]הרשיע
ובעזרו כול אלי ]הצדק14 [יצי[ל]מה מיד [בליעל ומיד כול ר]וחי גורלו
הזואת הואה יום ה]שלום א[שר15 […]וה[ואה א]שר …[כול בני אל והפ
על הרים רגל]י[16 אמר] … ביד ישע[יה הנביא אשר אמר] מה [נאוו
מבש]ר מ[שמיע שלום מב]שר טוב משמיע ישוע[ה ]א[ומר לציון ]מלך
פשרו ההרים] המה[ הנביאי]ם [המה א]…[…]…[ לכול17 [אלוהיך
והמבשר הו]אה [משיח הרו]ח[ כאשר אמר דנ]יאל עליו עד18 […]…
טוב משמי]ע ישועה [הואה הכתוב19 [משיח נגיד שבועים שבעה ומבשר
לנח]ם[ ה]אבלים פשרו [ל]ה[שכילמה בכול קצי20 […] עליו אשר
…]…[ר הוסרה מבליעל22 […]…[…] באמת למ21 [… הע]ולם
]… [במשפט]י[ אל כאשר כתוב עליו] אומר לצי[ון23 […]…[… ותש]וב
]עדת כול בני הצדק המה [מקימ]י[ הברית24 [מלך אלוהיך ]צי[ון ה]יאה
]… מלכי צדק אשר25 הסרים מלכת ]בד[רך העם ואל]ו[היך הואה
יצי[ל]מה מי[ד בליעל ואשר אמר והעברתמה שו]פר ב[כול ]א[רץ
Column III
[… ] ורוב4 […] אל יאו3 […]… ודעו דב2 […] ]…[ם1
[ יתממ]ו7 [… ] התורה ]ע[ליהמה] … [והוא]ה[ יגיד6 […]…[…] 5
[… במזמ]ו[ת בלבם ת]…[מה היא]ה8 […]. בליעל באש] …[בליעל ימרו
גדר ולשאת10 [… את חומ]ו[ת יהודה ובר]…[ע]… [חומת יר]ושלם9
11 [… ]עמוד ו…]… [במועדה-
[… ה]…[סוף הי]ובל13 […]……] 12
[… ] מאתים] …[ם באלה16 […] בש]… י[שאנו15 […]…[…]… 14
19 [… ]מח[לקות] העתים18 […]…[… ] השבוע17
[…]…[…] 20
Source Colophon
Text: Melchizedek (מלכיצדק, 11Q13)
Source: Qumran Cave 11
Transcription: García Martínez, F. & Tigchelaar, E.J.C., The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, Brill, 1997
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