The Ketef Hinnom Scrolls: Oldest Known Biblical Texts Before the Dead Sea Scrolls

Thorn Ville Church – The Ketef Hinnom Scrolls found in a burial cave southwest of Jerusalem are believed to contain the oldest known biblical texts ever discovered. Predating the famed Dead Sea Scrolls by several centuries.

While the Dead Sea Scrolls are often credited with confirming the accuracy of the Old Testament text. The Ketef Hinnom Scrolls offer a glimpse even deeper into antiquity, shedding light on the religious practices, scriptural traditions, and linguistic heritage of ancient Israel.

A Discovery Beneath the Earth

In 1979, Israeli archaeologist Gabriel Barkay led an excavation at Ketef Hinnom. A series of burial caves near Jerusalem’s Old City. During this dig, a team of students discovered a burial chamber containing pottery, jewelry, and two small rolled-up silver scrolls in one of the tombs.

At first, the scrolls were so fragile they could not be unrolled for several years. Conservators worked meticulously, and eventually revealed inscriptions etched into the silver surface. The process took over three years, but what they found was worth the wait.

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The Blessing Inside

Once unrolled, the inscriptions on the Ketef Hinnom Scrolls revealed a familiar passage: the Priestly Benediction, also known as the Aaronic Blessing from Numbers 6:24–26:

“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”

This iconic passage, still used in synagogues and churches today. It was written in ancient Hebrew and dates to the 7th century BCE, during the First Temple period. Its discovery provided stunning evidence that biblical texts were in use centuries before the Babylonian exile. Challenging earlier assumptions that much of the Hebrew Bible was compiled or written after the exile.

Linguistic and Theological Importance

The Ketef Hinnom Scrolls are significant not only because of their age but also because of the continuity they reveal in biblical text and theology. The Hebrew script used is in Paleo-Hebrew. Consistent with inscriptions from the time of King Josiah and the late Judean monarchy.

The theological message of the blessing itself is equally powerful. It emphasizes divine protection, grace, and peace concepts central to both Jewish and Christian faiths. These tiny scrolls show that such themes were not late developments, but core spiritual values even in Israel’s early history.

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Not Just Texts Amulets of Faith

Interestingly, the Ketef Hinnom Scrolls weren’t scrolls in the traditional sense. Scholars believe they were worn as amulets, possibly on the neck or arm, for personal protection and blessing. This practice reflects a common ancient tradition where sacred words were not only read or recited but carried close to the body. Believed to offer spiritual power and protection.

Such usage also affirms what Deuteronomy 6:8 instructs:

“Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.”

This suggests that scriptural text functioned as both theology and talisman, merging belief with daily life.

A Testament to Scriptural Transmission

Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the 20th century. The oldest surviving copies of the Hebrew Bible dated back to the 10th century CE. The Ketef Hinnom Scrolls pushed this textual history back over 1,300 years. Demonstrating remarkable consistency in the preservation of sacred text.

While the scrolls themselves are only a few centimeters in size, their impact is massive. They confirm that key portions of the Hebrew Bible were known and valued long before the canonical form was finalized, giving us a tangible link to ancient faith practices.

Broader Impact on Biblical Studies

Today, the Ketef Hinnom Scrolls are housed at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and remain one of the most cherished artifacts of biblical archaeology. Their discovery not only affirms the ancient roots of biblical scripture but also provides a valuable touchpoint for historians, linguists, and theologians alike.

They remind us that faith, history, and language are deeply intertwined and that even the smallest object, buried in a tomb for centuries, can rewrite what we thought we knew about the past.