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The Damascus Document — Column 13

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

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and Israel, up to ten men, as a minimum, for thousands and hundreds and fifties

and tens [...] and in a place of ten, a priest learned in the Book of Hagu shall not be lacking [...] over

his authority shall all of them be governed [...] and if he is not versed in all these, then a man from the Levites who is versed

in these — the lot shall go out — so that by his authority all who enter the camp shall depart and return [...] and if

there is a case concerning the law of affliction upon a man, the priest shall come and stand in the camp, and shall instruct him

the Overseer, in the exact interpretation of the law [...] and if he is simple, he shall confine him, for to them belongs

the judgment [...] and this is the Rule of the Overseer of the camp: he shall teach the Many concerning the works of

God, and make them understand His wondrous mighty acts, and recount before them the eternal events with their explanation [...]

and he shall have compassion on them like a father toward his sons, and shall tend to all their afflicted ones, like a shepherd his flock [...]

loosening all the fetters of their bonds, so that there be no oppressed or crushed one in his congregation [...]

and every one who is added to his congregation, he shall assess him according to his deeds, his understanding, his strength, his might, and his wealth [...]

and they shall enroll him in his place, according to his inheritance in the lot of light [...] no man shall have authority

among the men of the camp to bring a man into the congregation apart from the authority of the Overseer who is over the camp [...]

and no man among all who enter the covenant of God shall take or give to the sons of the pit, except

hand for hand [...] and let no man do any business of buying or selling except he inform

the Overseer who is in the camp, and act by counsel, so that they do not [go astray] [...] [and] [so] for [every] [one who takes] [a wife]

and the [...] [counsel] [...] and so too for one who divorces; and he shall [discipline] [their] [sons] [and] [their daughters]

[and] [their little ones] in a spirit of humility and in loving-kindness [...] let him not bear a grudge against them [in] [anger] [...]

[...] [their transgressions] and him who is not bound in [...]

[...] and this is the dwelling of the camps for all the [period] [of] [wickedness] [...] [and] [whoever]

[does not] [hold fast] [to] [these] shall not prosper to dwell in the land [...]

[...] [and] [these] are the ordinances for the Instructor [to] [walk] [by them] [with] [every] [living] [being]

[according] [to] [the] [judgment] [of] [each] [period], [as] [it] [was] [said]: [days] [will] [come] [upon] [you] [and] [upon] [your] [people] [and] [upon] [your] [father's] [house]

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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