What are the "Qdôšê Qdôšîm" in "The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice?"

Jared W. Ludlow

Within the Hebrew Bible, the term "qdôšê qdôšîm" refers to items within the temple area that are "most holy." By the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls, however, there is a development in this term's meaning, particularly in one scroll where it is repeatedly used, "The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice." In "The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice," "qdôšê qdôšîm" refers to a group of heavenly priests who serve near the presence of God. This shift in meaning may be a result of Judaism's developing angelology and Qumran's isolation and rebellion against the Temple at Jerusalem. Therefore, this paper traces the development of "qdôšê qdôšîm" from its usage in Biblical to Qumranic texts; examines the reasons for the change in its meaning; and proposes what the 'new' term might have meant to the Qumran community. This paper also includes a translation and brief commentary on one of the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, 4Q400 1 col. i.

« Back