The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls: The ... - josephprestonkirk

48 WHAT’S INACALENDAR?
a. Enumerations of the names of the watches that serve in rotation two
weeks annually, one week in every half-year. Their names accord with
the roster of twenty-four families of priests in 1 Chr 24:7–19. However,
the number of twenty-four units does not tally with the twice twenty-six
watches required to cover the fifty-two weeks of the 364-day solar year.
The Covenanters solved the problem by establishing a six-year cycle with
a staggered rotation system. The four weeks by which the solar year
exceeds the lunar year are taken care of by four watches that serve three
spells of duty—two at the beginning of every half-year and two at its end.
The names of these watches are given here in italics:
First half-year: Gamul Delaiah Maoziah Joiarib Jedaiah Harim Seorim Malkiah
Mijamin Haqqos Abiah Jeshua Shekaniah Eliashib Jaqim Huppah Jeshebab Bilgah
Immer Hezir Happisses Petahaiah Jehezkel Jakin Gamul Delaiah
Second half-year: Maoziah Joiarib Jedaiah Harim Seorim Malkiah Mijamin
Haqqos Abiah Jeshua Shekaniah Eliashib Jaqim Huppah Jeshebab Bilgah Immer
H9ezir Happissess Petahaiah Jehezkel Jakin Gamul Delaiah Maoziah Joiarib.
This arrangement is reflected in a statement in the War Scroll (1QM 2.1–2): 48
The fathers of the community (are) fifty-two, and the heads of the priests
they shall arrange behind the High Priest and his second (in rank) twelve
to serve perpetually before God. And the twenty-six heads of the courses are to
serve in divisions.
The seemingly contradictory reference to “twelve courses” next to
“twenty-six heads of courses” actually tallies with the number of turns of
duty of twenty watches that served twice annually and thus covered 40
weeks, and four that served three times and thus covered twelve weeks,
which together add up to fifty-two weeks. The “heads” of the overall
number of units actually serving in the Temple in rotation, therefore are
correctly termed the “fifty-two fathers of the community.”
In 1 Chr 24:7–19 the priestly watches are listed by name and ordinal
number: “the first (is) Joiarib, Joiada the second etc.…Maoziah the twentyfourth.”
In yah[ad rosters only the names of the watches are given. The
ordinal numbers 1–24 adduced in the biblical list presumably were
dropped in the Covenanters’ documents because they did not agree with
the total of twenty-six watches that came on duty twice annually in their
364-day solar year.
48. Yigael Yadin, The Scroll of the War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness
(trans. B. Rabin and C. Rabin; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1962).