4Q175 (or4QTest), also known asThe Testimonia, is one of theDead Sea Scrolls and was found in Cave 4 atQumran in theWest Bank. Only one sheet long, 4Q175 is a collection of scriptural quotations seemingly connected to amessianic figure. The manuscript was written inHasmonean script of the early 1st century BCE.
The Testimonia is a short document containing fiveBiblical quotations arranged in four sections concerningGod's activities at the end-time. Only the last section is followed by an interpretation. The first three sections refer to future blessings which will come from three figures, a prophet similar toMoses, amessianic figure and a priestly teacher.
The first section consists of two texts from Deuteronomy and refers to the prophet-figure who is likeMoses (Deuteronomy 5:28-29; 18:18-19). The second section is an extract from a prophecy ofBalaam about theMessiah-figure, who is similar toDavid (Numbers 24:15-17). This prophecy predicts "A star shall come out of Jacob and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel; he shall crush the temples of Moab and destroy all the children of Sheth." The third section is a blessing of the Levites, and of the Priest-Messiah who will be a teacher likeLevi (Deuteronomy 33:8-11). The last section begins with a verse fromJoshua (6:26), which is then expounded by means of a quotation from the Psalms ofJoshua (see4Q379). These verses show that theQumran community was interested in the messianic prophecies found in theTanakh.
The message of those 5 verses are:
- God promised wellness for his followers
- God will send a prophet
- There will be an Israel leader that will occupy Moab
- God, bless the army of the high-priest ("Your Thummim and Urim...Bless all his army, Lord").
- The person who will rebuild Jericho will be cursed
The first four verses are positive and praise one man as opposed to the last verse and the speech which disgrace another wicked man who rebuilt Jericho and started a civil war.
Some scholars associate the three figures described in 4Q175 with a father and two sons.John Marco Allegro believed them to beAlexander Jannaeus and his sons;Frank Moore Cross identified them asMattathias and his sons Simon andJudas Maccabee who were all central figures in theMaccabean revolt; while Otto Betz believed they were theHasmonean kingJohn Hyrcanus and his two sonsAristobulus andAlexander Jannaeus. Some Muslims believe that the three mentioned figures in the said scroll areMohammad,Jesus and theMahdi.[1]
Many scholars believe that the scribe who copied 4Q175 also copied theCommunity Rule (1QS) found in Cave 1 as well as aSamuel manuscript also found in Cave 4.[2] All have been dated bypalaeography to theHasmonean period.