The Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) is a collection of Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts, the first being discovered accidentally in 1947 by shepherds in a cave near the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea.
Belonging to a monastic Jewish community, perhaps the Essenes, of the first centuries BCE and CE, located at nearby Qumran, the DSSs contain nearly every book of the Hebrew Bible. They were perhaps concealed shortly before the Roman destruction of 68 CE.
From 1949 onward, the caves were systematically searched, leading to many scrolls being taken to safety and assembled by a team of experts, who have since published and photostated copies.
The Hebrew scrolls, whose authors used several different materials (leather, papyrus, parchment, wood, and one embossed on copper), are 1,000 years older than the oldest of any previously extant MSS and are of immense value not only for comparison with the Hebrew Masoretic text but also because they reveal some of the history of the Jews and Jewish thought of the first centuries.
The scrolls primarily consist of the Hebrew Scriptures and of interpretations of these books, although non‐canonical writings (e.g., the book of Jubilees and much of Enoch) are also included, together with books of the Apocrypha, Psalm 151, miscellaneous Messianic texts, prophetic pseudepigrapha, calendars, testaments, legal documents, hymns, and magical texts. The largest writing, the Temple Scroll, rewrites and revises the laws of the Pentateuch.
In addition, there exist linguistic and doctrinal parallels with the New Testament (e.g., the temple as a community of people), especially with the Gospel of John’s contrasts between light and darkness. On the other hand, differences exist between Qumran beliefs and those of the primitive church, such as, for example, the Qumran belief in two (or three) Messiahs.
The DSS provides evidence of the messianic hopes prevalent during Second Temple Judaism. Messianism is important in a number of texts, which sometimes depict the Messiah as a singular figure, kingly, victorious, and Davidic, and, on other occasions, depict two (possibly even three) messianic figures. These were the royal (e.g., “Branch of David,” “Messiah of Israel,” “Scepter”) and priestly (e.g., “Priest,” “Messiah of Aaron,” “Interpreter of the Law”) messiahs, and, explicitly in one text, the Prophet (1QS 9:11: “until the coming of the prophet and the anointed ones of Aaron and of Israel”).
Bishop's Encyclopedia of Religion, Society, and Philosophy 
The Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) offer valuable insights into Jewish history, thought, and scripture during the Second Temple period. From a Quranic perspective, while the DSS predates Islam, its contents resonate with themes found in the Quran:
1. *Monotheism and scripture*: The DSS emphasizes the importance of the Hebrew Bible, which is also recognized in Islam as a revealed scripture.
2. *Messiah and prophethood*: The DSS’s messianic themes, including the expectation of a Prophet and anointed figures, parallel Quranic concepts of prophethood and messianic figures like Jesus (Isa).
3. *Community and worship*: The DSS highlights the significance of community, prayer, and righteous living, echoing Quranic emphasis on these aspects.
The DSS provides a window into the historical context of the region, showcasing the diversity of Jewish thought and practice during that era. This historical context can enrich our understanding of the Quran’s message and its connections to earlier scriptures and traditions.