Isaiah 20 — Dead Sea Scrolls
6 verses • 2 variants • Column XVI of 1QIsaiah-a
Scroll Overview
Summary
Chapter 20 is a brief prose narrative (6 verses) describing Isaiah's symbolic act of walking naked and barefoot for three years as a sign against Egypt and Cush. The prose style yields very few variants.
Notable Variants
No significant variants. The narrative is preserved nearly identically in both traditions.
Scroll Condition
Well preserved; fully legible.
In the year that the commander-in-chief came to Ashdod — when Sargon king of Assyria sent him — and he fought against Ashdod and captured it,
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XVI, line 16
At that time the LORD spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying: "Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and take your sandals off your feet." And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
Masoretic (WLC)
הַשַּׂק
the sackcloth
Dead Sea Scroll
השק
the sackcloth
1QIsaiah-a writes השק without the sin/shin distinction visible in the MT's pointing. The consonantal text is identical. No impact on meaning.
1QIsaᵃ col. XVI, line 17
Then the LORD said: "Just as my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush,
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XVI, line 18
so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush — young and old — naked and barefoot, with buttocks bared, to the shame of Egypt.
Masoretic (WLC)
שְׁבִי
captivity
Dead Sea Scroll
שבי
captivity
Identical consonantal text. The shame of Egyptian and Cushite captives is described identically. No impact on meaning.
1QIsaᵃ col. XVI, line 19
They will be dismayed and put to shame because of Cush, their hope, and because of Egypt, their boast.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XVI, line 20
The inhabitants of this coastland will say on that day: "Look — this is what happened to those we looked to, where we fled for help, to be delivered from the king of Assyria. How then shall we ourselves escape?"
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XVI, line 21