Isaiah 14 — Dead Sea Scrolls
32 verses • 11 variants • Columns XII–XIII of 1QIsaiah-a
Scroll Overview
Summary
Chapter 14 contains the famous taunt-song against the king of Babylon, including the Helel ben Shachar passage (v. 12) — the 'Lucifer' text in the Vulgate tradition. This chapter has 32 verses with a mix of orthographic and moderate variants. The taunt-song's vivid imagery is well preserved in both traditions.
Notable Variants
Verse 2 has a morphological variant in a verb form. Verse 4 has an important textual note about the word madhebah/marhebah. Verse 12 (Helel ben Shachar) is preserved identically in 1QIsaiah-a, confirming the MT reading. Verse 30 has a notable variant in the description of the poor.
Scroll Condition
Well preserved; fully legible. This section of the scroll is in excellent condition.
For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel and settle them on their own soil. The foreigner will join himself to them and attach himself to the house of Jacob.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 7
Peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them on the LORD's soil as male and female servants. They will take captive those who captured them and rule over those who oppressed them.
Masoretic (WLC)
וְהִתְנַחֲלוּם
and will take them as possession
Dead Sea Scroll
והתנחלום
and will take them as inheritance
1QIsaiah-a writes והתנחלום with a slightly different spelling but identical meaning. Both texts describe Israel taking the nations as a possession in the LORD's land. The hitpael verb form is preserved in both traditions.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 8
On the day the LORD gives you rest from your pain and your turmoil and from the hard labor that was forced upon you,
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 9
you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon and say: How the oppressor has ended! How the fury has ended!
Masoretic (WLC)
מַדְהֵבָה
golden oppression
Dead Sea Scroll
מרהבה
raging
This is one of the most discussed variants in 1QIsaiah-a. The MT reads מַדְהֵבָה (madhebah), a word of uncertain meaning — possibly related to gold (zahav) or perhaps 'golden city/oppression.' 1QIsaiah-a reads מרהבה (marhebah), from the root r-h-b meaning 'raging, arrogance, turbulence.' The DSS reading is adopted by most modern translations (NRSV, ESV footnotes) as it makes better contextual sense: 'How the oppressor has ceased, the raging has ceased!' The MT reading is obscure and may reflect a scribal corruption.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 10
The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers —
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 11
the one who struck peoples in fury with unceasing blows, who trampled nations in anger with relentless persecution.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 12
The whole earth rests and is quiet; they break out in joyful song.
Masoretic (WLC)
כָּל
all
Dead Sea Scroll
כול
all
1QIsaiah-a frequently writes כול for MT's כָּל ('all'). This plene spelling with vav is one of the most common orthographic variants in the scroll, appearing hundreds of times. No impact on meaning.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 13
Even the cypresses rejoice over you, the cedars of Lebanon: 'Since you were laid low, no woodcutter comes up against us.'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 14
Sheol below is astir for you, ready to greet your arrival. It rouses the shades for you — all the chief rulers of the earth. It raises from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
Masoretic (WLC)
רְפָאִים
shades/Rephaim
Dead Sea Scroll
רפאים
shades/Rephaim
Identical consonantal text. The word refers to the shades of the dead — the departed spirits in Sheol who rise to greet the fallen king. No impact on meaning.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 15
They all respond and say to you: 'You too have become weak like us! You have become like us!'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 16
Your majesty has been brought down to Sheol, along with the music of your harps. Maggots are spread beneath you; worms are your covering.
Masoretic (WLC)
נֶבְלֶךָ
your harps
Dead Sea Scroll
נבלכה
your harps
1QIsaiah-a adds a final he to the word, possibly reflecting a different suffix form or an orthographic convention. The meaning remains the same: the sound of harps is brought down to Sheol.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 17
How you have fallen from the heavens, shining one, son of the dawn! How you have been cut down to the earth, you who laid nations low!
Masoretic (WLC)
הֵילֵל
shining one
Dead Sea Scroll
הילל
shining one
The famous 'Lucifer' passage. 1QIsaiah-a writes הילל (helel) without the MT's vowel pointing but with identical consonants. The word means 'shining one' or 'day star' — a title for the morning star (Venus). The Vulgate translated this as 'Lucifer' (light-bearer), which later tradition identified with Satan, but both the MT and 1QIsaiah-a clearly present this as a taunt against a human king, using astral mythology to describe his hubris and fall. The phrase בן שחר (ben shachar, 'son of dawn') is identical in both texts. The DSS confirm that the original Hebrew makes no reference to a supernatural devil — it is a Canaanite mythological motif applied to a Babylonian tyrant.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 18
You said in your heart: 'I will ascend to the heavens; above the stars of God I will raise my throne. I will sit on the mountain of assembly, in the far reaches of the north.'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 19
'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'
Masoretic (WLC)
אֶעֱלֶה
I will ascend
Dead Sea Scroll
אעלה
I will ascend
Identical consonantal text. The five 'I will' declarations of the fallen king are preserved identically in both traditions. No impact on meaning.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 20
But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 21
Those who see you will stare at you, will peer closely at you: 'Is this the man who shook the earth, who made kingdoms tremble?'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 22
'Who made the world like a desert and tore down its cities, who never released his prisoners to go home?'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 23
All the kings of the nations — all of them — lie in honor, each in his own tomb.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 24
But you are cast out from your grave like a loathed branch, covered with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit — like a trampled corpse.
Masoretic (WLC)
כְּנֵצֶר
like a branch
Dead Sea Scroll
כנצר
like a branch
Identical consonantal text. The word netser ('branch, shoot') — the same word that gives Nazareth its name and appears in 11:1 — here describes the rejected corpse cast out like a loathed branch. No impact on meaning.
1QIsaᵃ col. XII, line 25
You will not be joined with them in burial, for you destroyed your own land, you slaughtered your own people. The offspring of evildoers will never be named again.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 1
Prepare a slaughter for his sons because of their fathers' guilt, so they will not rise and possess the earth or fill the face of the world with cities.
Masoretic (WLC)
מָלְאוּ
fill
Dead Sea Scroll
מלאו
fill
Identical consonantal text. The command to fill the face of the world with cities (or slaughter) is preserved identically. No impact on meaning.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 2
I will rise against them, declares the LORD of Hosts. I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, offspring and posterity, declares the LORD.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 3
I will make her a possession of the hedgehog and pools of standing water. I will sweep her with the broom of destruction, declares the LORD of Hosts.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 4
The LORD of Hosts has sworn: 'Surely, as I have planned, so it will be; as I have purposed, so it will stand —
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 5
to break Assyria in my land and to trample him on my mountains. Then his yoke will be removed from them, and his burden will depart from their shoulders.'
Masoretic (WLC)
פְּלִשְׁתִּים
Philistines
Dead Sea Scroll
פלשתים
Philistines
Identical consonantal text. The oracle now shifts from Babylon to Philistia. No impact on meaning.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 6
This is the plan devised for the whole earth; this is the hand stretched out over all the nations.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 7
For the LORD of Hosts has purposed — and who can thwart it? His hand is stretched out — and who can turn it back?
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 8
In the year that King Ahaz died, this oracle came:
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 9
Do not rejoice, all you Philistia, that the rod that struck you is broken. For from the serpent's root a viper will emerge, and its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 10
The poorest of the poor will find pasture, and the needy will lie down in safety. But I will kill your root with famine, and your remnant he will slay.
Masoretic (WLC)
בְּכוֹרֵי
firstborn of
Dead Sea Scroll
בכורי
firstborn of
1QIsaiah-a writes בכורי with a slightly different vowel pattern implied. The phrase 'firstborn of the poor' (MT) or 'firstborn of the weak' is a striking metaphor: the very poorest will be fed. Both texts preserve this paradoxical image of the most vulnerable finding security.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 11
Wail, gate! Cry out, city! Melt away, all you Philistia! For smoke comes from the north, and no one breaks rank in his formations.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 12
And what will one answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people find refuge.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XIII, line 13