Magic and Demonology in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Retrospect and Prospect

At the heart of the varied religious imaginations reflected in the Dead Sea Scrolls lies the existence of a realm filled with angels and demons that bridged the gap between human beings and the God of Israel. The effects of these supernatural agents could be mitigated by rituals, divination, dream interpretation, preventative incantations, and exorcisms. Magical activity in the Dead Sea Scrolls materials, and in Second Temple Judaism more broadly, is concerned with the curtailing of demonic powers, often by exorcism. Angel focuses on the Songs of the Sage as a primary source for understanding how the magical forms and contents in the Dead Sea Scrolls reflect and inform us about the worldview and religious experience of the sectarian movement.