Isaiah 1 — Dead Sea Scrolls
31 verses • 21 variants • Columns I–II of 1QIsaiah-a contain Isaiah chapter 1.
Scroll Overview
Summary
Isaiah 1 in 1QIsaiah-a is well preserved and generally agrees closely with the MT. The majority of variants are orthographic — the Qumran scribe consistently uses plene (fuller) spelling with additional matres lectionis (vowel letters). There are approximately 15-20 minor orthographic variants and a small number of moderate variants involving word forms.
Notable Variants
No theologically significant variants. The most noteworthy differences are plene spellings throughout and a few instances where the scroll has slightly different verb forms or conjunctions, none of which alter the meaning substantially.
Scroll Condition
Excellent condition. The opening columns of the scroll are among the best preserved sections. Text is fully legible throughout chapter 1.
The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah — kings of Judah.
Masoretic (WLC)
חֲזוֹן
vision
Dead Sea Scroll
חזון
vision
1QIsaiah-a writes the unpointed form. The word is identical: chazon ('vision'). The Qumran text lacks the Masoretic vowel pointing but the consonantal text agrees.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 1
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken: "Children I raised and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.
Masoretic (WLC)
גִּדַּלְתִּי
I reared
Dead Sea Scroll
גדלתי
I reared
Identical consonantal text. The scroll uses its standard unpointed orthography.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 2
An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master's feeding trough — but Israel does not know, my people do not understand."
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 4
Woe, sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have abandoned the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they have turned their backs.
Masoretic (WLC)
מַשְׁחִיתִים
corrupters
Dead Sea Scroll
משחיתים
corrupters
1QIsaiah-a spells identically in consonantal form. No meaningful difference.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 5
Why do you keep inviting more blows? Why do you continue to rebel? The whole head is diseased, and the whole heart is faint.
Masoretic (WLC)
חֳלִי
sickness
Dead Sea Scroll
חולי
sickness
Plene spelling with waw mater lectionis in 1QIsaiah-a. The MT uses defective spelling. No difference in meaning.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 7
From the sole of the foot to the head, there is no soundness in it — only wounds, welts, and raw, open sores. They have not been pressed out, nor bandaged, nor softened with oil.
Masoretic (WLC)
מִכַּף
from the sole of
Dead Sea Scroll
מכף
from the sole of
Identical reading. Standard orthographic variation.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 8
Your land is desolate, your cities burned with fire. Your soil — right before your eyes, foreigners devour it, and it lies desolate, as overthrown by invaders.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 9
And Daughter Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a city under siege.
Masoretic (WLC)
כְּסֻכַּת
like a booth in
Dead Sea Scroll
כסוכת
like a booth in
Plene spelling with waw. The imagery of a besieged booth is identical in both texts.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 10
If the LORD of Hosts had not left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 12
Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 13
"What are your many sacrifices to me?" says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. In the blood of bulls, lambs, and goats I take no pleasure.
Masoretic (WLC)
רֹב
multitude of
Dead Sea Scroll
רוב
multitude of
Plene spelling with waw mater lectionis. Standard Qumran orthographic practice.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 14
When you come to appear before me, who asked this of you — this trampling of my courts?
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 16
Stop bringing worthless grain offerings! Incense — it is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies — I cannot endure wickedness alongside sacred gathering.
Masoretic (WLC)
תּוֹעֵבָה
abomination
Dead Sea Scroll
תועבה
abomination
Identical consonantal text. The word is the same.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 17
Your new moons and your appointed festivals — my soul hates them. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.
Masoretic (WLC)
אָוֶן
iniquity
Dead Sea Scroll
אוון
iniquity
1QIsaiah-a adds a waw, giving fuller spelling. Meaning is identical: 'aven ('iniquity, wickedness').
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 18
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you. Even when you multiply your prayers, I am not listening — your hands are full of blood.
Masoretic (WLC)
כַּפֵּיכֶם
your hands
Dead Sea Scroll
כפיכמה
your hands
1QIsaiah-a uses the longer suffix form -kemah instead of -kem. This is a characteristic Qumran morphological feature reflecting a fuller pronominal suffix. Meaning is identical.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 19
Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean! Remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes. Stop doing evil!
Masoretic (WLC)
רַחֲצוּ
wash yourselves
Dead Sea Scroll
רחצו
wash yourselves
Identical consonantal text.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 21
Learn to do good. Pursue justice, set right the oppressor, defend the orphan, plead the cause of the widow.
Masoretic (WLC)
אַשְּׁרוּ
set right
Dead Sea Scroll
אשרו
set right
The verb 'ashsheru is identical in both texts. However, 1QIsaiah-a adds a slight spacing that some scholars have read as indicating a different word division. The standard reading 'set right the oppressor' (or 'relieve the oppressed') is maintained in both.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 22
"Come now, let us settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they will become white as snow. Though they are red as crimson, they will become like wool.
Masoretic (WLC)
כַּשָּׁנִים
like scarlet
Dead Sea Scroll
כשנים
like scarlet
Identical consonantal text. The famous 'though your sins be as scarlet' passage reads the same in both traditions.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 23
If you are willing and obey, you will eat the good of the land.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 25
But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword" — for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Masoretic (WLC)
תְּאֻכְּלוּ
you shall be devoured
Dead Sea Scroll
תואכלו
you shall be devoured
Plene spelling with additional waw. Meaning is identical.
1QIsaᵃ col. I, line 26
How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was once full of justice; righteousness lodged in her — but now, murderers.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. II, line 1
Your silver has become dross, your wine diluted with water.
Masoretic (WLC)
קִרְיָה
city
Dead Sea Scroll
קריה
city
Identical reading in consonantal text.
1QIsaᵃ col. II, line 2
Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves. Every one of them loves a bribe and chases after payoffs. They do not defend the orphan, and the widow's case never reaches them.
Masoretic (WLC)
כֻּלּוֹ
all of it
Dead Sea Scroll
כולו
all of it
Plene spelling with waw. Standard Qumran orthography.
1QIsaᵃ col. II, line 3
Therefore — declares the Lord, the LORD of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel — "I will get relief from my adversaries and avenge myself on my enemies.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. II, line 5
I will turn my hand against you and smelt away your dross as with lye, and remove all your impurities.
Masoretic (WLC)
כַּבֹּר
like lye
Dead Sea Scroll
כבור
like lye
Plene spelling with waw mater lectionis. The word kabor ('like lye/potash') is used for the refining metaphor. Both texts agree on the smelting imagery.
1QIsaᵃ col. II, line 6
I will restore your judges as at the first and your counselors as at the beginning. After that you will be called 'The City of Righteousness,' 'The Faithful City.'"
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. II, line 7
Zion will be redeemed through justice, and her repentant ones through righteousness.
Masoretic (WLC)
יַחְדָּו
together
Dead Sea Scroll
יחדיו
together
1QIsaiah-a adds a yod, giving the fuller spelling yachdayw. This is an extremely common Qumran orthographic variant found throughout the scroll.
1QIsaᵃ col. II, line 9
But rebels and sinners will be shattered together, and those who abandon the LORD will perish.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. II, line 10
For they will be ashamed of the sacred oaks you desired, and you will be humiliated by the gardens you chose.
Masoretic (WLC)
מֵאֵילִים
from the oaks
Dead Sea Scroll
מאלים
from the oaks
Slightly different spelling. Both texts refer to sacred oaks/terebinths used in pagan worship.
1QIsaᵃ col. II, line 11
For you will be like an oak whose leaves wither, and like a garden with no water.
Masoretic (WLC)
מֵהַגַּנּוֹת
from the gardens
Dead Sea Scroll
מהגנות
from the gardens
Identical consonantal text.
1QIsaᵃ col. II, line 12
The strong man will become tinder, and his work a spark — they will both burn together, and no one will quench them.
Masoretic (WLC)
הֶחָסֹן
the strong one
Dead Sea Scroll
החסון
the strong one
Plene spelling with waw. The image of the strong man becoming tinder is identical in both texts.
1QIsaᵃ col. II, line 13