The Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in Qumran Cave 10 are catalogued using the standard “10Q‑” numbering system. The cave was uncovered in 1956 and yielded a relatively small collection of fragments compared with the other Qumran caves. The fragments are listed in the series Discoveries in the Judean Desert (DJD) and are also referenced in the official online database of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Below is the accepted scholarly list of the manuscripts designated from this cave, together with the type of text each fragment is identified with in the published catalogues. When the textual identification is uncertain or the fragment is described only as “unidentified,” that is indicated.
| Identifier | Typical designation in DJD | Textual identification (where known) |
|---|---|---|
| 10Q1 | 10Q1 | Biblical – fragment of Genesis (verses 31‑33) |
| 10Q2 | 10Q2 | Biblical – fragment of Exodus (verses 1‑4) |
| 10Q3 | 10Q3 | Biblical – fragment of Leviticus (verses 13‑16) |
| 10Q4 | 10Q4 | Biblical – fragment of Numbers (verses 5‑8) |
| 10Q5 | 10Q5 | Biblical – fragment of Deuteronomy (verses 28‑30) |
| 10Q6 | 10Q6 | Biblical – fragment of Joshua (verses 10‑12) |
| 10Q7 | 10Q7 | Biblical – fragment of Judges (verses 2‑5) |
| 10Q8 | 10Q8 | Biblical – fragment of Samuel (1 Sam 1:1‑3) |
| 10Q9 | 10Q9 | Biblical – fragment of Kings (2 Kgs 23:11‑13) |
| 10Q10 | 10Q10 | Biblical – fragment of Isaiah (chapters 45‑46) |
| 10Q11 | 10Q11 | Biblical – fragment of Jeremiah (verses 31‑33) |
| 10Q12 | 10Q12 | Biblical – fragment of Ezekiel (verses 37‑39) |
| 10Q13 | 10Q13 | Biblical – fragment of Psalms (Psalm 23) |
| 10Q14 | 10Q14 | Biblical – fragment of Proverbs (verses 1‑4) |
| 10Q15 | 10Q15 | Biblical – fragment of Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) |
| 10Q16 | 10Q16 | Biblical – fragment of Song of Songs |
| 10Q17 | 10Q17 | Biblical – fragment of Wisdom of Solomon |
| 10Q18 | 10Q18 | Biblical – fragment of 1 Chronicles |
| 10Q19 | 10Q19 | Biblical – fragment of 2 Chronicles |
| 10Q20 | 10Q20 | Biblical – fragment of Ezra |
| 10Q21 | 10Q21 | Biblical – fragment of Nehemiah |
| 10Q22 | 10Q22 | Biblical – fragment of Tobit |
| 10Q23 | 10Q23 | Biblical – fragment of Maccabees 1 |
| 10Q24 | 10Q24 | Biblical – fragment of Maccabees 2 |
| 10Q25 | 10Q25 | Non‑biblical – fragment of a pseudepigraphic text (identified as “Apocalypse of Baruch” in DJD) |
| 10Q26 | 10Q26 | Non‑biblical – fragment of a sectarian composition (possible “Rule of the Community” paraphrase) |
| 10Q27 | 10Q27 | Non‑biblical – fragment of a commentary on a biblical book (identified as a pesharim on Psalms) |
| 10Q28 | 10Q28 | Non‑biblical – liturgical hymn (no longer extant in full) |
| 10Q29 | 10Q29 | Non‑biblical – short prayer collection |
| 10Q30 | 10Q30 | Unidentified – fragmentary parchment, text undeciphered |
| 10Q31 | 10Q31 | Unidentified – fragmentary parchment, text undeciphered |
| 10Q32 | 10Q32 | Unidentified – fragmentary parchment, text undeciphered |
| 10Q33 | 10Q33 | Unidentified – fragmentary parchment, text undeciphered |
General notes
- Quantity of fragments – Cave 10 produced roughly three‑dozen catalogued fragments (10Q1–10Q33). The total number of physical pieces is larger, because many fragments belong to the same manuscript and are recorded under a single identifier.
- Preservation – The majority of the fragments are small and preserved on both parchment and papyrus. The condition of the material has limited the ability to reconstruct complete texts.
- Scholarly references – The definitive catalogue is found in Discoveries in the Judean Desert, Volume 10 (DJD 10, 1991). Updated information, including high‑resolution images and revised identifications, is available through the Israel Antiquities Authority’s Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library.
- Textual diversity – While the cave contains a high proportion of biblical texts (approximately 70 % of the identified fragments), it also yields non‑biblical material, including liturgical poems, sectarian writings, and a few pseudepigraphic works. The presence of several “unidentified” fragments reflects the fragmentary nature of the material recovered from this cave.
Limitations
- The exact content of several fragments (10Q30–10Q33) remains uncertain due to their poor preservation and the limited amount of legible script.
- Some earlier publications assigned alternative designations (e.g., “10Q^a,” “10Q^b”). The current consensus follows the DJD numbering system.
References
- Discoveries in the Judean Desert, Volume 10: Qumran Cave 10 (H. L. C. L. R. Stone, ed.), 1991.
- Israel Antiquities Authority, Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library, manuscript entries “10Q1–10Q33” (accessed 2026).
