The Dead Sea Scrolls contain a wide variety of texts, including biblical manuscripts, apocryphal works, and sectarian writings. They are primarily written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, and their content spans from the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE. The scrolls can be categorized into several main groups:

1. Biblical Texts: About 40% of the Dead Sea Scrolls are copies or fragments of books from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). These include almost every book of the Hebrew Bible, except for the Book of Esther. The most complete biblical manuscript found is a scroll of the Book of Isaiah, which is remarkably similar to the Masoretic text, the basis for most modern translations of the Bible.
    

2. Apocryphal and Deuterocanonical Texts: These are writings that were not included in the canonical Hebrew Bible but were highly regarded by certain Jewish sects, including the Essenes, who are believed to have lived at Qumran. These texts include the Book of Enoch, the Book of Tobit, and other works such as the Psalms of Solomon and the Wisdom of Sirach. These writings give us a glimpse into the diverse religious ideas and practices circulating in Judaism during the Second Temple period.
    

3. Sectarian Writings: A significant portion of the scrolls consists of documents that shed light on the beliefs, rules, and practices of a Jewish sect, most likely the Essenes, who are believed to have lived at the Qumran settlement. These writings include the Community Rule, which outlines the principles of communal life, and the War Scroll, which details the final battle between the "sons of light" and the "sons of darkness." These texts reveal much about the religious mindset of the people who produced them, emphasizing purity, eschatology, and the expectation of divine intervention.
    

4. Other Documents: In addition to religious texts, the Dead Sea Scrolls also include legal documents, letters, and administrative records. These provide evidence of everyday life during the Second Temple period and offer insight into the social, political, and economic conditions of the time. shutdown123