Isaiah 43 — Dead Sea Scrolls
28 verses • 7 variants • Columns XXXV-XXXVI of 1QIsaiah-a
Scroll Overview
Summary
Isaiah 43 contains God's reassurance to Israel ('When you pass through the waters, I will be with you') and the declaration of God as sole savior. The chapter has 28 verses in columns XXXV-XXXVI. Variants are predominantly orthographic.
Notable Variants
Verse 3: minor variant in 'your ransom' (kofreka). Verse 10: the scroll reads the great monotheistic declaration 'you are my witnesses' identically. Verse 19: 'I am doing a new thing' — identical in both texts. Verse 25: the scroll has a slightly different suffix form on 'your transgressions.'
Scroll Condition
Well preserved. Fully legible throughout.
But now, this is what the LORD says — He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXV, line 24
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Masoretic (WLC)
בַּמַּיִם
through the waters
Dead Sea Scroll
במים
through the waters
Identical consonantal text. The promise 'when you pass through the waters' is the same in both traditions.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXV, line 25
For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
Masoretic (WLC)
כָּפְרְךָ
your ransom
Dead Sea Scroll
כופרכה
your ransom
1QIsaiah-a uses plene spelling with vav and a different suffix form (kaf-he instead of kaf alone). Same word — 'I give Egypt as your ransom.'
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXV, line 26
Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 1
Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 2
I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth,
Masoretic (WLC)
מִצָּפוֹן
from the north
Dead Sea Scroll
מצפון
from the north
Identical consonantal text.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 3
everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 4
Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears!
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 5
All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this and tell us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right; let them hear and say, 'It is true.'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 6
'You are my witnesses,' declares the LORD, 'and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.'
Masoretic (WLC)
אַתֶּם עֵדַי
you are my witnesses
Dead Sea Scroll
אתמה עדי
you are my witnesses
1QIsaiah-a spells the pronoun 'you' as atemmah rather than the MT's attem — a fuller form. The great monotheistic declaration 'You are my witnesses, declares the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen' is substantively identical.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 7
I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 8
I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses, declares the LORD, and I am God.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 9
Also from this day forward I am He; there is none who can deliver from my hand. I work, and who can turn it back?
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 10
This is what the LORD says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: 'For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 11
I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 12
This is what the LORD says — He who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 13
who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down together, they cannot rise; they are extinguished, quenched like a wick.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 14
Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.
Masoretic (WLC)
רִאשֹׁנוֹת
the former things
Dead Sea Scroll
ראשונות
the former things
Identical consonantal text.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 15
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth — do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Masoretic (WLC)
חֲדָשָׁה
a new thing
Dead Sea Scroll
חדשה
a new thing
Identical reading. The stirring declaration 'Behold, I am doing a new thing' reads the same in the oldest scroll and the medieval MT.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 16
The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 17
the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 18
Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel!
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 19
You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with grain offerings, or wearied you with frankincense.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 20
You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 21
I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
Masoretic (WLC)
פְּשָׁעֶיךָ
your transgressions
Dead Sea Scroll
פשעיכה
your transgressions
1QIsaiah-a uses the suffix form -kah instead of the MT's -kha. This is a characteristic Qumran morphological feature — the second-person masculine singular suffix appears frequently with this form in the scroll. No change in meaning: 'I, I am He who blots out your transgressions.'
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 22
Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 23
Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 24
Therefore I profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and I gave Jacob over to utter destruction and Israel to reviling.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XXXVI, line 25