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Flags at the Dead Sea Scrolls (Israel)

Last modified: 2023-09-16 by martin karner
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At the Israel Museum's Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are kept, the tour guide mentioned that one scroll, "The Wars of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness," which describes an expected future apocalyptic war, does so right down to the banners to be carried.
Here it is from <www.piney.com>:

"The description of the banners.

13 Rule of the banners of the whole congregation according to their formations. On the grand banner which is at the head of all the people they shall write, "People of God," the names "Israel" and of "Aaron," and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel according to their order of birth. On the banners of the heads of the "camps" of three tribes they shall write, "the Spirit [of God," and the names of three tribes. O]n the banner of each tribe they shall write, "Standard of God," and the name of the leader of the t[ribe ] of its clans. [... and] the name of the leader of the ten thousand and the names of the chief[s of ...] [...] his hundreds. On the banner of Merari they shall write, "The Offering of God," and the name of the leader of Merari and the names of the chiefs of his thousands.

On the banner of the tho[us]and they shall write, "The Anger of God is loosed against Belial and all the men of his forces without remnant," and the name of the chief of the thousand and the names of the chiefs of his hundreds. And on the banner of the hundred they shall write, "Hundred of God, the power of war against a sinful fiesh," and the name of the chief of the hundred and the names of the chiefs of his tens. And on the banner of the fifty they shall write, "Ended is the stand of the wicked [by] the might of God," and the name of the chief of the fifty and the names of the chiefs of his tens. On the banner of the tho[us]and they shall write, "The Anger of God is loosed against Belial and all the men of his forces without remnant."

6 When they go to battle they shall write on their banners "The truth of God", "The righteousness of God", "The glory of God", "The justice of God", and after these the list of their names in full. 7 When they draw near for battle they shall write on their banners "The right hand of God", "The appointed time of God", "The tumult of God", "The slain of God"; after these their names in full. When they return from battle they shall write on their banners "The exaltation of God", "The greatness of God", "The praise of God", "The glory of God", with their names in full.

9 The Rule of the banners of the congregation: When they set out to battle they shall write on the first banner "The congregation of God", on the second banner "The camps of God", on the third "The tribes of God", on the fourth "The clans of God", on the fifth "The divisions of God", on the sixth "The congregation of God", on the seventh "Those called by God", and on the eighth "The army of God". They shall write their names in full with all their order. When they draw near for battle they shall write on their banners "The battle of God", "The recompense of God", "The cause of God", "The reprisal of God", "The power of God", "The retribution of God", "The ...ight of God", "The annihilation by God of all the vainglorious nations". And their names in full they shall write upon them. When they return from battle they shall write on their banners "The deliverance of God", "The victory of God", "The help of God", "The support of God", "The joy of God", "The thanksgivings of God", "The praise of God", and "The peace of God".

15 [The Length of the Banners. The banner of the whole congregation shall be fourteen cubits long; the banner of th[ree tribes' thir]teen cubits [long;] 16 [the banner of a tribe,] twelve cubits; the banner of ten thousand, eleve[n cubits; the banner of a thousand, ten cubits; the banner of a hu]ndred, [n]ine cubits; 17 [the banner of a fifty, ei]ght cubits; the banner of a ten, sev[en cubits ...]."

Nathan Lamm, 22 October 2006