This book presents a new perspective on the meaning and significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is founded on the contention that the remains of the 1000 sacred scrolls that were found in Qumran on the Dead Sea western shore between 1947 1956 are part of a huge priestly library. This library was lost because of religious conflicts between two rival priestly hegemonies in the last two centuries BCE (priests of the house of Zadok and priests of the house of Hasmonai) and between two rival hegemonies in the first two centuries of the Common era (Sadducees and Pharisees).".