Isaiah 40 — Dead Sea Scrolls
31 verses • 16 variants • Columns XXXII-XXXIII of 1QIsaiah-a
Scroll Overview
Summary
Isaiah 40 opens the 'Book of Consolation' with 31 verses. The scroll preserves this chapter in excellent condition across columns XXXII-XXXIII. Most variants are orthographic (1QIsaiah-a's characteristic plene spelling), but verse 3 — quoted in all four Gospels — and verse 7 contain textually significant readings.
Notable Variants
Verse 3: the syntactic division of 'a voice crying in the wilderness' versus 'a voice crying: In the wilderness prepare' is preserved identically in both MT and 1QIsaiah-a, but the scroll adds a paragraph break after 'wilderness,' supporting the Synoptic reading. Verse 6: the scroll reads 'and he said' (singular) where MT has 'and I said.' Verse 7: the scroll includes 'the grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it' — a line that some MT manuscripts lack. Verse 12: minor orthographic variant in 'measured.'
Scroll Condition
Well preserved. Columns XXXII-XXXIII are fully legible with no significant lacunae.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Masoretic (WLC)
נַחֲמוּ
comfort
Dead Sea Scroll
נחמו
comfort
Plene spelling in the scroll but identical word. The doubled imperative nachamú nachamú is present in both texts.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXII, line 25
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry out to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned — for she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.
Masoretic (WLC)
צְבָאָהּ
her warfare
Dead Sea Scroll
צבאה
her warfare
Orthographic only. 1QIsaiah-a writes without Masoretic vowel pointing but the consonantal text is identical.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXII, line 26
A voice cries out: 'In the wilderness, prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'
Masoretic (WLC)
קוֹל קוֹרֵא בַּמִּדְבָּר פַּנּוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָה
A voice cries out: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD
Dead Sea Scroll
קול קורא במדבר פנו דרך יהוה
A voice cries out: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD
The consonantal text of 1QIsaiah-a is identical to the MT here, but the scroll places a physical paragraph break (setumah-like spacing) after 'in the wilderness,' which could support reading 'A voice cries out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD' — the reading adopted by all four Gospels (Matt 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23).
The MT accentuation (atnach under bamidbar) connects 'in the wilderness' with 'prepare,' yielding 'A voice cries out: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD.' The scroll's paragraph spacing is ambiguous but leans toward the Gospel reading.
This is one of the most discussed text-critical points in the entire Hebrew Bible because of its New Testament implications. The DSS evidence does not decisively resolve the syntax but does show the Gospel reading was available in the pre-Christian period.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXII, line 27
Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXII, line 28
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Masoretic (WLC)
יַחְדָּו
together
Dead Sea Scroll
יחדיו
together
1QIsaiah-a adds a yod as a mater lectionis — standard plene spelling convention in the scroll.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXII, line 29
A voice says, 'Cry out!' And I said, 'What shall I cry?' All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
Masoretic (WLC)
וָאֹמַר
and I said
Dead Sea Scroll
ואמר
and he said
The MT reads va'omar ('and I said'), with the first-person singular. 1QIsaiah-a reads ve'amar ('and he said'), third-person singular. This changes who is speaking: in the MT the prophet responds 'What shall I cry?'; in the scroll, an unidentified voice says it.
The LXX (Septuagint) also reads third person here, agreeing with 1QIsaiah-a against the MT. This suggests the third-person reading may be older, with the MT reflecting a later scribal change to first person to identify the speaker as the prophet himself.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 1
The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass.
Masoretic (WLC)
יָבֵשׁ חָצִיר נָבֵל צִיץ
The grass withers, the flower fades
Dead Sea Scroll
יבש חציר נבל ציץ כי רוח יהוה נשבה בו
The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it
1QIsaiah-a includes the clause 'when the breath of the LORD blows upon it' (ki ruach YHWH nashvah bo) in verse 7, which in the MT appears only in verse 8. Some MT manuscripts also include this clause in verse 7.
This is likely not a 'plus' in the scroll but rather reflects an older text that included the clause in both verses 7 and 8. The MT may have suffered haplography (accidental omission due to similar endings). The LXX also includes this clause, supporting the scroll's reading.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 2
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 3
Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the cities of Judah, 'Behold your God!'
Masoretic (WLC)
הָרִימִי
lift up
Dead Sea Scroll
הרימי
lift up
Identical consonantal text. Orthographic variant only in the scroll's plene spelling convention.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 4
Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm rules for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.
Masoretic (WLC)
בְּחָזָק
with strength
Dead Sea Scroll
בחוזק
with strength
1QIsaiah-a adds a vav as mater lectionis in chozaq. No change in meaning.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 5
He will tend His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms and carry them close to His heart; He will gently lead those that are nursing.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 6
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand and marked off the heavens with a span, and enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?
Masoretic (WLC)
מָדַד
measured
Dead Sea Scroll
מדד
measured
Identical consonantal text. No significant variant.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 7
Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or as His counselor has instructed Him?
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 8
With whom did He take counsel and who gave Him understanding? Who taught Him the path of justice, or taught Him knowledge, or showed Him the way of understanding?
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 9
Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket and are counted as dust on the scales; behold, He takes up the coastlands like fine dust.
Masoretic (WLC)
גּוֹיִם
nations
Dead Sea Scroll
גואים
nations
1QIsaiah-a spells goyim with an aleph — a characteristic Qumran orthographic feature reflecting pronunciation.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 10
Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor its beasts for a burnt offering.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 11
All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are counted by Him as less than nothing and emptiness.
Masoretic (WLC)
כְּאַיִן
as nothing
Dead Sea Scroll
כאין
as nothing
Minor orthographic. The scroll uses a fuller spelling but the word is identical.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 12
To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness will you compare to Him?
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 13
An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 14
He who is too poor for such an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not totter.
Masoretic (WLC)
יִסְכָּן
skillful
Dead Sea Scroll
יסכון
skillful
Plene spelling with vav in the scroll. Same word.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 15
Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 16
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them like a tent to dwell in.
Masoretic (WLC)
חוּג
circle
Dead Sea Scroll
חוג
circle
Identical reading. The famous 'circle of the earth' (chug ha'aretz) is the same in both texts.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 17
He brings princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 18
Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when He blows on them and they wither, and the storm carries them away like stubble.
Masoretic (WLC)
בַּל
not
Dead Sea Scroll
בול
not
1QIsaiah-a writes with vav — minor orthographic. Meaning unchanged.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 19
'To whom then will you liken Me, that I should be his equal?' says the Holy One.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 20
Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of His might and because He is strong in power, not one is missing.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 21
Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, 'My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God'?
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 22
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable.
Masoretic (WLC)
אֵין
there is no
Dead Sea Scroll
אין
there is no
Identical consonantal text.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 23
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 24
Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 25
But those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Masoretic (WLC)
כַּנְּשָׁרִים
as eagles
Dead Sea Scroll
כנשרים
as eagles
Identical consonantal text. The beloved promise 'mount up with wings as eagles' reads the same in both the oldest and the medieval manuscripts.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXIII, line 26