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The War Scroll — Column 16

The Qumran Community · a new plain-English translation from the original language

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until the completion of all [holiness] [...] [for] the God of Israel shall call a sword upon all the nations, and among the holy ones of his people he shall work mighty deeds [...]

[...]

all this Rule they shall carry out [on] [the] [day] itself, taking their stand opposite the camps of the Kittim [...] and afterward the priests shall blow for them on the trumpets of

the memorial, and they shall open the gates of the [battle] [...] [and] [the] men of the ranks [shall go out] and the chiefs shall stand between the formations [...] and the priests shall blow for them

an alarm-blast in order [...] and the chiefs shall [be] [deployed] at the sound of the trumpets until each man takes his stand at his post [...] and the priests shall blow for them

an alarm-blast a second time, [signaling] [approach], [...] and when they stand at the flank of the formation of the Kittim, as the missile is cast, each man shall raise his hand with his weapon

of war, and sixth [the] [priests] [shall sound] [on] [the] [trumpets] of the slain a sharp, quavering note to direct the battle [...] and the Levites and all the people

of the horns [shall sound] [an] [alarm] [of] [battle] with a great voice [...] and as the sound goes forth they shall begin their hand to fell among the slain of the Kittim, and all

the people shall be silent at the sound of the alarm [...] [and] [the] [priests] shall be sounding on the trumpets of the slain, and the battle shall be victorious over the Kittim [...]

[...]

and when [Belial] girds himself to? help? the sons of darkness?, the slain of the ranks shall begin to fall by the mysteries of God, and by them to test all who are keen for battle

and the [priests] [shall blow] on? the trumpets? of the summons for another formation to go out, relieving them for battle, and they shall stand between the formations [...]

and for [those approaching] [for] [battle] they shall sound to turn back [...] and the chief priest shall draw near and stand before the formation, and shall strengthen

their heart with [his] [wondrous] [might], [and] their hands with his battle [...]

and he shall answer and say: [Blessed] [is] [God], [and] the heart of his people he shall test in the crucible, and not [...] your slain, for from of old you have heard

the mysteries of God, [and] [you], [strengthen] [yourselves] [and] [stand] [in] [the] [breach] [...] [and] [do] [not] [fear] [with] [courage] [...] them to wait [...]

like a mighty one [...] to [...]

[...]

[...]

[...]

An original translation made in 2026 by Scriptorium Press, working directly from the original language text (never from another English translation), in one consistent modern voice. Free to read, download, and listen — no accounts, no ads, nothing for sale.

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