Damascus Document

Laws on vows; circumcision as covenant model; Mastema turns aside

1God, and shall make them understand His wondrous mighty acts, and shall narrate before them the 2 things of the world since its creation. And he shall have mercy upon them as a father upon his 3 children, and shall for(give) all that have incurred guilt. Asa shepherd with his flock he shall loose _ gall the bonds of their knots... oppressed and crushed in his congregation. And every one who joins his congregation, he shall reckon him according to his works, his understanding, his might, his 5 strength, and his wealth. And they shall record him in his place in accordance with his position 6 in a lot of the (camp). No man of the children of the camp shall have power to bring a man into 7 the congregation (without) the word of the Censor of the camp. Nor shall any man of them who have entered into the covenant of God do business (with) the children of the pit (un)less hand to 8