Cracking the code (Copper Scroll)

Jerusalem Post ^ | Updated August 24, 2009 | By SHELLEY NEESE

[Squidpup]

"Shelley, I want you to meet the guy who has cracked the code on the Copper Scroll." With that intriguing introduction, I shook hands with Jim Barfield. We stood among the kiosks of Israeli goods during a lunch break at a Christian Zionist conference in Forth Worth, Texas.

"Congratulations," I replied, "but what's the Copper Scroll?"

"A treasure map," Barfield answered, "from the prophet Jeremiah."

I gave Barfield and his companion a quick once over, trying to determine whether they were the well-intentioned kind of crazy or scary crazy. A small-town Oklahoma man with impressive posture, Barfield sported long (really long) gray hair and a full goatee. His partner in "The Copper Scroll Project" is Chris Knight, another long-haired fellow who speaks softly and possesses a gentle demeanor. He shares the same look of confidence and conviction that Barfield exudes as they brief me on the Scroll.

The Copper Scroll was discovered in 1952 in one of the Qumran caves along the Dead Sea. Though part of the official Dead Sea Scrolls Collection, the Copper Scroll differs from the others in that it is written entirely on thin sheets of alloyed copper rather than papyrus or leather. Furthermore, the Copper Scroll is neither scriptural nor literary, but rather a detailed list of approximately sixty locations where vast amounts of gold, silver, coins, vessels, and other religious artifacts are hidden. Such Temple treasures might also include the Ark of the Covenant.

...snip...

[Squidpup]

"However, the theory to which Barfield ascribes - and most Dead Sea scholars reject - is that the scroll is neither a hoax nor a remnant of the Second Temple period, but rather was created during the First Temple period. His hypothesis derives from the Second Book of Maccabees, as well as a lesser known seventeenth century book called Emek Hamelech ("Valley of the King"). These two works tell the story of the prophet Jeremiah who, with the help of five Holy men, one named Shimur Halevi, carefully hid the holy objects of the Temple to protect them from the conquering Babylonians, and documented those locations on a copper tablet.

The Copper Scroll is a difficult text to understand. Written in an early form of Mishnaic Hebrew, many of the words used in the Scroll are unfamiliar to scholars because they do not appear in any other biblical or rabbinical texts. The scribe's handwriting is sloppy and hurried, forcing paleographers to make competing guesses as to the scribe's intention. Most of the locations detailed in the Scroll are obscure references, and are too narrow in their specificity to be known outside of that time period. The list speaks of tombs, dry wells, caves, and pools belonging to forgotten people and places. "

...snip...

"Between 160-200 tons of gold and silver potentially lurk under the Judean hills and Negev sands. Their estimated worth is over $2 billion today. Whatever the tonnage may be, the significance of the archaeological discoveries would be far greater than any monetary value. Barfield notes that the Copper Scroll offers the greatest chance ever to locate lost sacred objects used for worship in the first Jewish Temple. "

[ShadowAce]

Anyone tell Joel Rosenberg yet?

[Red Badger]

They need to find Jeremiah’s land deed, buried on his property in a earthen vessel.................

[jjotto]

This is a Vendyl Jones-related story, and I believe the Fort Worth conference mentioned was a Noahide conference, not Christian Zionist one, though Barfield describes himself as a “Torah-observant Christian.” I’m unclear why this is in the news now when it happened a number of years ago. Someone raising money?

[Red Badger]

Jeremiah 32
Jeremiah Buys a Field
1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 The army of the king of Babylon was then besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was confined in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace of Judah.

3 Now Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him there, saying, “Why do you prophesy as you do? You say, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will capture it. 4 Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape out of the hands of the Babylonians [a] but will certainly be handed over to the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him with his own eyes. 5 He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will remain until I deal with him, declares the LORD. If you fight against the Babylonians, you will not succeed.’ “

6 Jeremiah said, “The word of the LORD came to me: 7 Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is going to come to you and say, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth, because as nearest relative it is your right and duty to buy it.’

8 “Then, just as the LORD had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and said, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. Since it is your right to redeem it and possess it, buy it for yourself.’
“I knew that this was the word of the LORD; 9 so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels [b] of silver. 10 I signed and sealed the deed, had it witnessed, and weighed out the silver on the scales. 11 I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy- 12 and I gave this deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.

13 “In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: 14 ‘This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. 15 For this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’

16 “After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD :

[ZX12R]

I’ll believe him when he digs something up.

[ChocChipCookie]

ping

[James smithy]

Interesting Story , I had never heard of Copper Scroll Before but at the first sight it really looks very interesting

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

[Squidpup]

“I’m unclear why this is in the news now when it happened a number of years ago. Someone raising money?”

I am unclear what you are referring to - “it happened a number of years ago”. It apparently is happening now in Israel. Of course, the loot was buried a number of years ago. ;o)

Also, yes they apparently accept donations.

Here is their website:
http://www.copper-scroll-project.com/

[Eleutheria5]

I have. And I never believed for a minute that it would have been entrusted to either: 1. Essenian monks, whom the international team maintains were the sole residents at Qumran, or 2. Early pre-Pauline Christians, who some hold were the authors of much of the material in Cave IV. It’s possible it was entrusted to the Bar Kochba rebels, but this theory makes it pre-date even that, which bolsters my opinion that just about everybody who was anybody on the lam hid out in those caves. Probably David tore a piece of cloth from Saul’s garment while hiding from him at Qumran.

[Eleutheria5]

I wish the author would be more clear about what “eliminating the fringe elements” means.

[hlmencken3]

If I read him correctly, he makes an analogy to investigating arson, where the process was to eliminate suspects one by one rather than to become fixated on a theory that would lead to the guilty.

[Two Kids' Dad]

These stories need to be written AFTER the artifacts are discovered and revealed. Right now, this is no more credible than a story saying that an arson investigator is hot on the heels of a pair of unicorn skeletons.

But I’m certain that some religious zealots will use this story as ‘proof’ of something or another.

[hlmencken3]

Barfield is late. Supposedly using the Copper Scroll, Vendyl Jones excavations found what might be Temple incense and Temple anointing oil.

http://www.vendyljones.org.il/discoveries.htm

[SunkenCiv]

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[P.O.E.]

The list speaks of tombs, dry wells, caves, and pools belonging to forgotten people and places.

Like the old-timers around here give directions: "Turn left where the general store used to be, and it's right across the street from where Doc Smith had his office."

[Recon Dad]

I will, I’m going to Israel with him in November.

[Cvengr]

I guess this explains why the Dead Sea Scrolls were kept so securely unavailable for reproduction or public display for so many years.

[Nikas777]

The Copper Scroll has letters in Greek and therefore can not be from the first temple period (seven of the names of locations are followed by a group of two or three Greek letters.). This guy is sadly in a group I lump in with the treasure hunters from "Oak Island" looking for Captain Kidd's or the Templar's treasures buried in Oak Island's money pit.

I don't think the copper scrolls have anything to do with Temple treasures - maybe some other group's treasures? We know what happened to the so called Temple treasures - the Romans looted it and brought them to Rome to melt into coin. The Jews did not remove anything from the Temple because they expected a miracle and wanted all of God's things to remain where they were. The siege the Romans carried out on Jerusalem was total and complete.