Dead Sea Scrolls From 2,000 Years Ago Finally Decoded, Revealing Biblical Texts

After 70 years, the researchers have finally deciphered the mysterious Cryptic B code from the Dead Sea Scrolls. Discover what the ancient Qumran community encoded in these texts.

After more than 70 years, researchers have successfully decoded one of the last remaining undeciphered writing systems found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. The breakthrough focuses on the mysterious Cryptic B manuscripts, two heavily damaged fragments, 4Q362 and 4Q363, that had long confounded scholars because they were written in an unusual and unfamiliar script.

Emmanuel Oliveiro, a researcher at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, found that each cryptic symbol consistently corresponded to letters in Hebrew. Once decoded, these fragments revealed familiar biblical phrases and themes, including prophecies about the end times, divine judgment, the coming of a Messiah, and the destiny of Israel. Words such as Yisrael (Israel), Judah, Jacob, and Elohim (God) were among the texts uncovered.

Manuscripts From 2,000 Years Ago

The manuscripts were created by the Qumran community, a Jewish group that lived near the Dead Sea over 2,000 years ago. This group is known for preserving religious writings. Their texts offer a unique glimpse into early Jewish beliefs, rituals, and prophetic traditions.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in caves near the West Bank between 1947 and 1956 and include some of the oldest surviving biblical manuscripts. They are primarily written in Hebrew and Aramaic, with occasional Greek texts. While another mysterious code, Cryptic A, was deciphered back in 1955, Cryptic B remained unsolved for decades due to its unusual symbols, inconsistent handwriting, and extremely small surviving fragments.

Only the two manuscripts, 4Q362 and 4Q363, used this code. Many fragments are very small and damaged. The leather is cracked, darkened, or frayed, with some fragments showing stitching holes, margins, or wrinkles. The letters, written in black ink with fine or medium pens, vary in shape, size, and spacing. Some show corrections or double strokes, highlighting the irregular style of the scribes.

What’s Written in the Texts?

The content of 4Q362 appears deeply religious, using phrases similar to those in the Bible. For example, fragment 21 mentions Elohim and “your glory,” while fragment 18 references “the tents of Jacob,” echoing ideas found in Jeremiah 30:18 and Malachi 2:12. These passages focus on restoration and loyalty, themes that also appear in the fragment, though it does not directly quote the scriptures.

The texts also include references to time and rulers, such as “the second year” and “the fifth month,” hinting at historical or prophetic dating methods similar to other biblical texts. One intriguing feature of 4Q362 is a mention of a grave. Fragment 14 refers to “signposts,” which Oliveiro suggests might mean a tombstone, offering a rare biblical detail.

The second fragment, 4Q363, is even more fragmentary. It contains a repeated phrase that is difficult to interpret, it might refer to “her daughters” or “her villages.” A common name, Benayahu, appears as well, though it cannot be precisely identified due to its frequent use elsewhere.

Are There Any Hidden Messages?

The reason these messages were encoded remains unclear. Oliveiro believes the unusual script may have been symbolic or ritualistic, intended for a select audience such as priestly elites or scribes-in-training. The code was relatively simple, but deliberate distortions in letter shapes made it seem undecipherable for decades. Despite appearances, the manuscripts do not contain hidden or mystical messages, just carefully written religious texts meant to be read only by those initiated into the community’s traditions.

This discovery finally reveals the contents of Cryptic B, offering new insight into early Jewish religious thought and the sophisticated ways the Qumran scribes preserved their sacred writings.