From Qumran to the Yaad ─ A New Paradigm of Textual Development for the Community Rule

The Yahad (community) referred to in the The Community Rule (Serekh ha-Yahad in Hebrew), a sectarian text found in one of the Qumran caves of Dead Sea Scrolls fame, is that of the Essenes. So argues Schofield (religious and Judaic studies, U. of Denver), based on a reading of the relatively recently published Cave 4 versions of 'S' (an informant about the Scrolls's authors) and recent archeological findings. Following an overview of views on this variance in the text versions, she presents a new model for this diversity for reasons other than chronological development. The outstanding volume appends a comparison of the two legal codes in the text, and a color-coded, interlinear Hebrew text of all "S" copies of The Rule of the Community. Annotation c2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Alison Schofield, Ph.D. (2006) in Hebrew Bible and early Judaism, University of Notre Dame, is Assistant Professor of Religious and Judaic Studies at the University of Denver. She has published primarily on the Dead Sea Scrolls, early Judaism, and biblical themes of wilderness and exile.