Damascus Document

Damascus Document, CD-A column 5, Schechter 1910 English

And they who came into the Ark, “Two and two went into the Ark.” As to the prince it is written, | “He shall not multiply wives unto himself.” *But David read not in the Book of the Law that was sealed, which | was in the Ark. For it was not opened in Israel from the day of the Death of Eleazar | and Joshua, and the Elders who worshipped Ashtareth. And it was hidden | and was *not discovered until Zadok arose. But they *concealed the deeds of David save only the blood of Uriah | and God abandoned them to him. They also contaminate the sanctuary as* they | separate not according to the Law and lie with her who sees the blood of her issue. They take | unto them a wife the daughter of their brother and the daughter of their sisters. But Moses said “Thou shalt not | approach the sister of thy mother: she is thy mother’s near kin,” and the law of incest for males | is written, and like them are the females; and if the daughter of the brother uncovers the nakedness of the brother | of her father* he is a near kin. They also contaminated their holy spirit and with a tongue | of reproaches they opened the mouth against the statutes of the covenant of God, saying, They are not proper. But abomination | they speak concerning them. They all kindled a fire and set in flames the sparks. The weaving | of spiders are their weavings and the eggs of adders are their eggs. He who comes near them | shall not be innocent. Like *a thing accursed shall his house be guilty* unless he was* forced. Beforetimes God *observed | their deeds and His wrath was kindled because of their devices. For it is a people of no understanding. | They are a nation void of counsel, because there is no understanding in them. For beforetimes rose | Moses and Aaron through the prince of the Urim, *when Belial raised Yochaneh and | his brother in his device when Israel was delivered for the first time. | And at the end of the destruction of the land there arose those who removed the bound and led astray Israel. | And the land became desolate because they have spoken rebellion against the commandments of God through Moses and also