Deuteronomy 11 — Dead Sea Scrolls
4 attestation entries • 0 variants • 4QDeut family
Manuscript Overview
Summary
Deuteronomy 11 closes the introductory exhortation with the choice between blessing and curse on Mounts Gerizim and Ebal. Verses 13–21 constitute the second Shema paragraph in the Jewish lectionary cycle and are heavily attested in phylactery and mezuzah manuscripts at Qumran. 4QDeutʲ and 4QDeutⁿ both incorporate this material into their anthological compositions.
Notable Variants
No significant content variants. The phylactery passages confirm the antiquity of this liturgical use. The mountain-blessing/curse instruction tracks MT exactly.
Manuscripts
4QDeutᶜ (4Q30), 4QDeutʲ (4Q37), 1QDeutᵇ (1Q5), 4QPhylacteries (4Q128–148)
Scroll Condition
Phylactery readings are short but consistent; continuous-text witnesses (4QDeutᶜ, 1QDeutᵇ) supply additional verses.
If you truly listen to My commands that I am giving you today — to love the LORD your God and serve Him with your whole heart and your whole being —
'You shall love the LORD your God and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul' tracks MT.
4QDeutʲ; 4QPhyl group
Place these words of Mine on your hearts and on your being. Bind them as a sign on your hand, and let them serve as emblems on your forehead.
'You shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand' is preserved within phylactery manuscripts. Tracks MT.
4QPhyl group
See — I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse.
'See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse' tracks MT.
4QDeutᶜ frag.
When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.
The Gerizim/Ebal mountain instruction tracks MT. (See Deut 27 for the Samaritan-MT divergence on which mountain was authorized.)
4QDeutᶜ frag.