4Q400–401 describe the first Sabbath song as focused on the heavenly priesthood:
- Priests of the inner sanctum
- Ministers of the Presence
- “Princes” who tolerate no transgression of the true Way
- Those who recompense transgressors, yet make atonement for repenters
Song 6 (Mas1k; 4Q403) speaks of the first prince:
“A psalm of blessing will be spoken in the language of the first chief prince, to the eternal God, incorporating his language’s seven wondrous blessings. Then he will bless the King of all the eternally holy seven times with seven wondrous words of blessing.”
So Prince 1:
- Speaks a psalm of blessing
- Blesses God and the eternally holy
- Stands at the apex of the heavenly Temple
Ophiuchus Above the Celestial Pyramid
In the Temple model, Ophiuchus stands at the top of the celestial “pyramid” or ladder. Jacob’s dream:
A ladder set on earth, its top reaching to heaven, with angels ascending and descending, and YHWH standing above it.
Albert Pike paraphrased:
Jacob saw a ladder “and above it stood YHUH, declaring Himself to be the God of Abraham.”
In the celestial pyramid, that position—“above it stood YHWH”—is occupied by Ophiuchus:
- He alone stands at the apex above the Temple
- He restrains the serpent, prevents it from seizing the crown
- He treads on the heart of Scorpio (Antares), symbol of the wicked
Thus you identify:
Ophiuchus as the only constellation that can truly be said to “come in God’s Name.”
Malachi 4:3 and the Ashes of the Wicked
When the Sun stands in the region of Ophiuchus and Scorpio:
- Scorpio, associated with the wicked, lies under his feet.
- The Sun’s heat consumes, turning the wicked to ashes.
This fulfills Malachi 4:3:
“And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.”
So the first Yom Kippur act—removing ashes from the altar—is written in the sky:
- The Solar “altar” burns the wicked
- Ophiuchus treads them underfoot as they are reduced to ashes
Psalm 118 – “Blessed is He that Cometh in the Name of the LORD”
The first prince’s psalm of blessing naturally corresponds to Psalm 118, with its Temple-gate and High Priest themes:
“Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.” (Ps 118:26)
“The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.” (v. 22)
“Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.” (v. 27)
Here we find:
- Blessing in the LORD’s Name
- The Head Stone, matching your foundation stone motif
- The binding of the sacrifice to the altar
Ophiuchus, standing above the pyramid-Temple, blessing in God’s Name, and trampling the wicked, is the First Prince whose language is Psalm 118: the one who comes in YHWH’s Name, presides over the altar, and opens the gates of righteousness.
3. PRINCE TWO: PERSEUS
The Breaker, Red Heifer, and Cleanness of Hands
Yom Kippur stages tied to Prince 2 (Perseus & Auriga sequence):
- First confession on the High Priest’s ox.
- The ox sin-offering is prepared and slaughtered.
- The High Priest passes through death, water, and ashes in symbolic form.
Perseus is the second prince—the Breaker, whose path through the heavens traces the red-heifer purification.
Qumran – Second Chief Prince
4Q403 (Song 6) describes the second prince:
“A psalm of exaltation will be spoken in the language of the second chief prince to the King of truth and righteousness, incorporating his language’s seven wondrous exaltations.”
And:
“In the name of His truth the second chief prince will bless all their stations with seven wondrous words… He will bless all who exalt the King… He will bless all who are eternally pure.”
So Prince 2:
- Speaks a psalm of exaltation
- Addresses the King of truth and righteousness
- Blesses all the stations (positions)
- Blesses all who are eternally pure
Perseus and the Red Heifer: Blood, Water, Ashes
In your reading of the solar path:
- Lamb’s blood – Aries
- Perseus travels with the Sun through Aries, the slain Lamb, picking up blood.
- Water – descent toward Cetus
- He descends with the Sun toward Cetus, the sea-monster / abyss.
- Blood mixes with water, like the outflow from Messiah’s side.
- Ashes and dung of the red heifer – Taurus / Pleiades
- From Cetus he rises toward Taurus, whose backside is “missing” in the figure.
- Taurus, with its red star Aldebaran, is the ox/heifer.
- What is “missing” is read as burnt up by the Sun’s extremity: ashes and dung, just as in the red-heifer ritual.
- Passing near the Pleiades—your symbol of forever—Perseus completes the mix: blood + water + ashes.
Thus Perseus, having passed through Lamb, water, and ox, can say with Psalm 18:
“The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.” (Ps 18:20)
Descent to Mira and Psalm 18
Perseus also comes to Mira (in Cetus)—a pulsating “wonderful” star you identify with death and Sheol:
“The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
…He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.” (Ps 18:4–5,16)
Perseus:
- Descends to the pit (Mira)
- Is compassed by death and many waters
- Is drawn out (resurrection)
- Then rises to pierce the ox (Taurus) with his sword
He is the Breaker (Mic 2:13), going before the flock, passing through death, and emerging with clean hands.
Psalm 18 + 19 – Language of the Second Prince
Prince 2’s “psalm of exaltation” and blessing “in His truth” aligns with Psalms 18 and 19:
- Psalm 18 – personal deliverance, righteous vindication, war against enemies, cleanness of hands, feet set on high places, enemies underfoot, head of foes taken (Perseus holding the enemy’s head).
- Psalm 19 –“The heavens declare the glory of God… In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.” (Ps 19:1,4–5)
This “strong man to run a race” is the solar Perseus/Orion figure. His circuit is:
- From one end of heaven to the other
- Nothing is hid from the heat of his path
When the Sun travels through the stations of Perseus—Aries, Cetus, Taurus, Pleiades—the whole celestial line is a map of:
- Death and resurrection
- Red-heifer purification
- Eternal purity (Pleiades)
So Perseus, as Prince 2, speaks in the language of Psalms 18–19, exalting the King of truth and righteousness and blessing all who are purified and exalted in His truth.
4. PRINCE THREE: AURIGA
Two Goats, Scapegoat, and the Faithful Kingdom
Yom Kippur stages:
- Third immersion; don the golden vestments again.
- Perform the he-goat sin offering of the Mussafim.
- Offer his ram.
- Offer the people’s ram.
- Burn the entrails of the ox and he-goat on the outer altar.
Auriga, holding two goats and sitting on the horn-star El Nath (“slain”) on the edge of Taurus, perfectly pictures the Yom Kippur goat ritual.
Scapegoat and the Scarlet Cord
The High Priest:
- Casts lots: one goat for YHWH, the other for Azazel (the scapegoat).
- Places the sins of Israel on the scapegoat and sends it to the wilderness.
- Tradition: a scarlet cord turns white when forgiveness is accepted—until, as you note, after the crucifixion era, when it stopped turning white.
Auriga, with two goats and the horn, becomes the cosmic emblem of:
- Sin-bearing,
- Exile,
- And the mystery of forgiveness.
Qumran – Third Chief Prince
4Q403 (Song 6) about the third prince:
“The third chief prince, a glorification of His faithfulness directed to the King of the angels, incorporating his language’s seven wondrous glorifications. Then he will glorify the God of the exalted angels seven times with seven words of wondrous glorification.”
And:
“In the name of His exalted kingdom the third chief princes will bless all who are exalted in knowledge with seven wondrous words of exaltation, blessing all the divine beings wise in His truth… He will bless all those appointed for righteousness with seven marvelous words.”
So Prince 3 is about:
- Faithfulness
- Exalted kingdom
- Those exalted in knowledge
- Those appointed for righteousness
Psalm 89 – Forever, Faithfulness, Horn Exalted
Psalm 89 is your chosen psalm for Auriga:
“I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.” (Ps 89:1–2)
And:
“Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations.” (v. 4)
“Forever” is repeated—fitting:
- Third prince,
- Third to pass through Pleiades,
- Pleiades as a symbol of eternity, our “greater sun” around which the long motion of the heavens turns.
Later:
“In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.” (vv. 16–17)“…in my name shall his horn be exalted.” (v. 24)
Auriga:
- Sits on the horn of Taurus at El Nath (“slain”).
- Holds the goat.
- His position shows the horn exalted in God’s Name.
So:
- He-goat sin offering – Auriga holding the goat.
- Horn exalted – Auriga on El Nath.
- Exalted kingdom and faithful covenant – Psalm 89’s eternal Davidic throne.
Auriga thus becomes Prince 3, whose language is Psalm 89, glorifying God’s faithfulness and kingdom while bearing the goat imagery of Yom Kippur.
5. PRINCE FIVE: HERCULES
Thanksgiving and the Judgment Psalm
(Prince 4 is not fully developed in this segment of your material; the pattern resumes clearly at Prince 5.)
Yom Kippur stages tied to Prince 5:
- Fifth immersion; don golden vestments.
- Offer the daily afternoon burnt offering.
By now the day is fading; the Sun is moving toward the west. The fifth prince is Hercules, whose myth traces the labors of the Sun, especially in connection with the Lion. He wears the lion’s skin, echoing the Lion of Judah.
Qumran – Fifth Chief Prince
4Q403 (Song 6):
“A psalm of thanksgiving will be spoken in the language of the fifth to the glorious King, incorporating his language’s seven wondrous thanksgivings. Then he will thank the glorified God seven times with seven words of wondrous thanksgivings.”
And:
“In the name of His majestic wonders the fifth chief princes will bless all who comprehend the mysteries of pure insight with seven wondrous words of His exalted truth. He will also bless… all who are quick to do His will, blessing those who confess Him with seven majestic words comprising a wondrous thanksgiving.”
So Prince 5:
- Speaks a psalm of thanksgiving
- Blesses those who understand the mysteries
- Blesses those quick to obey and those who confess Him.
Psalm 50 – From Rising to Going Down of the Sun
Psalm 50 matches the fifth prince:
“The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him…
He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.” (Ps 50:1–4)
Key elements:
- From rising to going down – the full solar path, Hercules’ mythic course.
- Zion as the center—like the Temple.
- Judgment by fire.
- Gather my saints who made covenant by sacrifice (v. 5).
- “The heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself.” (v. 6)
As the Sun declines, Hercules pictures:
- A lion-clad hero at the end of his labors
- The God who owns all bulls and goats and now calls for true thanksgiving
“I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds…
Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High.” (Ps 50:9,13,14)
So the afternoon burnt offering (the Tamid) is recast:
- Not as divine food, but as symbol.
- The real requirement is thanksgiving, confession, and obedience—exactly the fifth prince’s blessing.
Hercules, then, is Prince 5: the lion-clad, end-of-day figure whose language is Psalm 50, calling the earth from sunrise to sunset to offer thanksgiving, understand the mysteries, and confess the glorious King.
6. PRINCE SIX: BOÖTES
The Coming Judge, Warrior Deeds, and Evening Incense
Yom Kippur stages:
- Burn the daily afternoon incense.
- Light the Menorah.
The sixth prince is Boötes (Arcturus), the Coming One and warrior-judge.
Names of Boötes – “He Cometh,” “The Pierced,” “Who Bruises”
Ancient tradition:
- Bo-otes / Bo – “to come”: the Coming One.
- Arcturus – “He cometh.”
- Egyptian names:
- Smat – one who rules, subdues, governs.
- Bau – again the Coming One.
- Star-names:
- Al Katurops – “the Branch, treading under foot.”
- Mirac / Mizar / Izar – “coming forth as an arrow,” “the preserver / guarding.”
- Muphride – “who separates.”
- Nekkar – “the pierced.”
- Merga – “who bruises.”
This is the coming, pierced Judge who treads underfoot and preserves.
Qumran – Sixth Chief Prince
Two key lines in 4Q403 for Prince 6:
“A psalm of rejoicing will be spoken in the language of the sixth to the God of goodness, incorporating his language’s seven cries of wondrous rejoicing.”
“In the name of the warrior deeds of the sixth chief prince will bless all who are insightful warriors with seven wondrous words of warrior power. He will also bless all who are perfect in the Way… Yet again will he bless all who wait for Him… that His compassionate lovingkindness might return to them.”
So Prince 6:
- Rejoices in the God of goodness
- Strengthens insightful warriors
- Blesses those perfect in the Way
- Blesses those who wait for Him, promising returning chesed
Incense of Remembrance – Psalm 105
For the daily afternoon incense, Psalm 105 is fitting:
- “O give thanks unto the LORD… make known his deeds among the people.” (v. 1)
- “Sing unto him… talk ye of all his wondrous works.” (v. 2)
- “Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.” (v. 3)
Then the psalm traces:
- The covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
- Joseph’s suffering and exaltation
- Moses and Aaron, the plagues, and the Exodus
- Israel brought out with joy and given the lands of the heathen
This is incense: the memory of God’s mighty deeds rising like smoke. It is a psalm of rejoicing in the God of goodness and righteous judgment.
Lighting the Menorah – Psalm 33
For the Menorah, Psalm 33 is the perfect companion:
- “Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous… Praise the LORD with harp… Sing unto him a new song.” (vv. 1–3)
- “The word of the LORD is right… He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.” (vv. 4–5)
This psalm:
- Shows God’s counsel standing forever,
- Overturns the counsels of the nations,
- Warns that no king is saved by armies alone,
- And promises that:
“Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.” (vv. 20–22)
Those who wait for Him and rejoice match exactly the Qumran line about the sixth prince blessing those who wait so that His lovingkindness may return.
So Boötes, Prince 6:
- Burns the incense of remembrance (Ps 105)
- Lights the heavenly Menorah (Ps 33)
- Rejoices in the God of goodness
- Strengthens insightful warriors as the Coming Judge, pierced yet victorious.
7. PRINCE SEVEN: AQUARIUS
Musical Praise and the Outpouring of Waters
Finally we come to the seventh chief prince, associated with Aquarius (the Water Bearer) and Piscis Australis (the Southern Fish).
Aquarius in ancient names:
- Denderah: Hupei Tirion – “place of Him coming down / poured forth.”
- Hebrew: Deli – the bucket / urn (Num 24:7 hint).
- Star names: Sa’ad al Melik, Sa’ad al Sund, Scheat, Mon/Meon – all emphasizing pouring forth, coming and returning, the urn of water.
Scripture echoes:
“He shall pour the water out of His buckets, and His seed shall be in many waters…” (Num 24:7)
“I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thy offspring.” (Isa 44:3)
Aquarius is thus the pourer forth of water and Spirit—the final, climactic act.
Qumran – Seventh Chief Prince
4Q403 (Song 6) gives the richest description here:
“A psalm of musical praise will be spoken in the language of the seventh chief prince, a powerful musical praise to the God of holiness, incorporating his language’s seven wonderful [praise elements]. Then he will sing praise to the King of holiness seven times with seven wondrous words of musical praise, together with seven psalms of blessing to Him, seven psalms of exaltation of His righteousness, seven psalms of glorification of His kingdom, seven psalms of praise of His glory, seven psalms of thanksgiving for His wondrous doings, seven psalms of rejoicing for His might, and seven psalms of musical praise of His holiness…”
And:
“In the name of His holiness the seventh chief prince will bless all the holy who establish knowledge with seven wondrous words of His wondrous holiness. He will also bless all who exalt His laws with seven wondrous words for mighty shields. Yet again will he bless all who are predestined for righteousness, they who praise His glorious kingdom forever and ever, with seven wondrous words that lead to eternal [peace].”
So Prince 7:
- Is entirely about music, holiness, and eternity
- Blesses:
- The holy who establish knowledge
- Those who exalt His laws (as shields)
- Those predestined for righteousness, praising forever
Psalms of the Seventh Prince
You’ve clustered several psalms here as the sevenfold psalmody of Aquarius:
Psalm 33 – Musical Praise and Eternal Counsel
Already used for Prince 6, but also fits 7:
- New song, instruments, glorious word and breath creating the heavens.
- Eternal counsel and chosen inheritance.
Psalm 34 – Continuous Praise and Teaching the Fear of the LORD
“I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (v. 1)
“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” (v. 3)
“Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” (v. 11)
Psalm 34:
- Trains the holy who establish knowledge
- Shows the LORD near the broken and contrite
- Promises that “the LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants.” (v. 22)
Psalm 29 – Voice on Many Waters
“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
The voice of the LORD is upon the waters… The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.
The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.” (Ps 29:2–3,10–11)
This is pure Aquarius-language:
- Waters, flood, voice on many waters
- King forever
- Strength and peace poured forth
Psalm 35 – Warrior Protection
Here the psalmist calls on God to take shield and spear, letting the angel of the LORD chase enemies. It underlines that even in the final outpouring, the righteous remain in conflict until the coming kingdom is fully manifested.
Together, these psalms give Prince 7:
- Musical praise
- Holiness and law
- Waters and Spirit
- Eternal kingdom and predestined righteous
Aquarius thus completes the cycle: the seventh prince whose language is layered psalmody and whose sign is the pouring forth of water and Spirit over all creation.
8. CONCLUSION: THE HEAVENLY LITURGY AND THE END OF BELIAL
From Ophiuchus at the summit, blessing in God’s Name and treading down the wicked,
through Perseus breaking through death with clean hands,
Auriga bearing the goats and horn of the kingdom,
Hercules calling for true thanksgiving at the end of the day,
Boötes rejoicing in God’s goodness and strengthening the warriors,
to Aquarius pouring out waters and Spirit in musical holiness—
the seven chief princes and their psalms trace the entire Yom Kippur drama in the heavens.
In the backdrop, the Scrolls remind us:
“The wicked… hatch the plots of Belial…”
“The war of the heroes of heaven shall spread over the world and shall not return until an annihilation that has been determined from eternity is completed.”
Synthesis shows:
- The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice are not isolated hymns but a map of the celestial Temple.
- The Day of Atonement is written in the stars.
- The Psalms of David preserve the “languages” of the seven chief princes.
At the end, when the Water Bearer pours out the Spirit and the seventh prince leads the final music of holiness, the plots of Belial are finished, the righteous are established, and the heavenly Temple and earthly Zion are joined in one eternal Sabbath.
