The War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of DarknessArticle
Free Pass The War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of
Darkness, Hebrew Megillat Milḥamat B’ne, or Beb’ne Ḥoshekh, also
called War Rule, or War Scroll, a Dead Sea Scroll, and one of
the most important documents of the Essene sect of Jews that
established a community at Qumrān in the Judaean desert during
the first half of the 2nd century bc. The Essenes thought
themselves to be the holy elect of Israel, the Sons of Light,
who would at the end of time engage in a catastrophic war with
the enemies of Israel, the Sons of Darkness. The War Rule,
discovered in Cave I of Qumrān in 1947, is a manual for military
organization and strategy, including detailed specifications for
battle gear and signals. It is also a theological discourse that
develops the doctrine of the spirits of truth and perversity
mentioned in the sect’s Manual of Discipline. The scroll’s
apocalyptic portrayal of a 40-year “holy war” between the forces
of good and evil involves h