Isaiah 49 — Dead Sea Scrolls
26 verses • 8 variants • Columns XL-XLI of 1QIsaiah-a
Scroll Overview
Summary
Isaiah 49 contains the Second Servant Song (vv. 1-6), where the servant speaks in the first person: 'The LORD called me from the womb.' The chapter has 26 verses in columns XL-XLI. The Servant Song section is of great theological importance.
Notable Variants
Verse 5: a moderate variant in the verb form. Verse 6: 'a light to the nations' (or la-goyim) — the scroll reads identically to the MT, confirming this universal mission language was in the pre-Christian text. Verse 7: a possible variant in the participle. Verse 12: the scroll reads 'Sinim' where some scholars expect 'Syene' (Aswan) — the MT and scroll agree. Verse 24: a moderate variant in the noun.
Scroll Condition
Well preserved. The Second Servant Song is fully legible.
Listen to me, O coastlands, and give heed, you peoples from afar: The LORD called me from the womb; from the body of my mother He named me.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XL, line 16
He made my mouth like a sharpened sword; in the shadow of His hand He hid me. He made me a polished arrow; in His quiver He concealed me.
Masoretic (WLC)
חֶרֶב
a sword
Dead Sea Scroll
חרב
a sword
Identical consonantal text. 'He made my mouth like a sharp sword.'
1QIsaᵃ col. XL, line 17
And He said to me, 'You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my glory.'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XL, line 18
But I said, 'I have labored in vain; for nothing and futility I have spent my strength.' Yet surely my justice is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XL, line 19
And now the LORD says — He who formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him (for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength) —
Masoretic (WLC)
לְשׁוֹבֵב
to bring back
Dead Sea Scroll
לשובב
to bring back
The MT reads leshovev with a possible Qere/Ketiv issue ('to him' vs. 'not'). 1QIsaiah-a appears to read 'to bring Jacob back to him' (lo with vav, 'to him'), supporting the positive reading. This is the verse where the servant's mission is 'to bring Jacob back to God.'
1QIsaᵃ col. XL, line 20
He says: 'It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel. I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.'
Masoretic (WLC)
אוֹר גּוֹיִם
a light to the nations
Dead Sea Scroll
אור גואים
a light to the nations
1QIsaiah-a reads 'a light to the nations' (or goyim) identically to the MT, with only the characteristic plene spelling of goyim with aleph. This is one of the most important phrases in the Hebrew Bible — the servant's mission extends beyond Israel to all nations.
The verse 'I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth' is quoted in Acts 13:47 and alluded to in Luke 2:32. The scroll confirms this universal reading was present in the pre-Christian text.
1QIsaᵃ col. XL, line 21
This is what the LORD says — the Redeemer of Israel, the Holy One of Israel — to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, a servant of rulers: 'Kings shall see and rise; princes shall bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.'
Masoretic (WLC)
לִבְזֹה נֶפֶשׁ
to one deeply despised
Dead Sea Scroll
לבזוה נפש
to one deeply despised
1QIsaiah-a uses plene spelling with vav. The description of the servant as 'deeply despised, abhorred by the nation' anticipates the Suffering Servant of chapters 52-53.
1QIsaᵃ col. XL, line 22
This is what the LORD says: 'In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you. I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to raise up the land, to apportion the desolate inheritances,'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XL, line 23
saying to the prisoners, 'Come out!' to those in darkness, 'Show yourselves!' They shall feed along the roads, and on every bare height shall be their pasture.
Masoretic (WLC)
לַאֲסוּרִים
to the prisoners
Dead Sea Scroll
לאסורים
to the prisoners
Identical consonantal text.
1QIsaᵃ col. XL, line 24
They shall not hunger or thirst; scorching wind and sun shall not strike them, for He who has compassion on them will lead them, and by springs of water He will guide them.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XL, line 25
I will turn all my mountains into a road, and my highways shall be raised up.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XL, line 26
Behold, these shall come from afar — some from the north, some from the west, and some from the land of Sinim.
Masoretic (WLC)
סִינִים
Sinim
Dead Sea Scroll
סינים
Sinim
Both the scroll and the MT read 'Sinim.' Some scholars emend to 'Syene' (Aswan in Egypt, modern Elephantine), but 1QIsaiah-a offers no support for that emendation. The text stands as 'from the land of Sinim.'
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 1
Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Break forth into singing, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 2
But Zion said, 'The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 3
Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.
Masoretic (WLC)
חָרְבוֹתַיִךְ
your ruins
Dead Sea Scroll
חרבותיכי
your ruins
1QIsaiah-a uses the -ki suffix form characteristic of Qumran. Same meaning.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 4
Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 5
Your builders hasten to you; your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 6
Lift up your eyes all around and see: they all gather together; they come to you. As I live, declares the LORD, you shall put them all on like an ornament and bind them on like a bride.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 7
For your ruins and your desolate places and your devastated land — surely now you will be too cramped for your inhabitants, and those who swallowed you will be far away.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 8
The children born in your bereavement will yet say in your hearing, 'The place is too cramped for me; make room for me to dwell!'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 9
Then you will say in your heart, 'Who has borne me these? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away — so who has raised these? Behold, I was left alone; where then have these come from?'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 10
This is what the Lord GOD says: 'Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 11
Kings shall be your guardians, and their queens your nursing mothers. With faces to the ground they shall bow down to you and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 12
Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?
Masoretic (WLC)
מַלְקוֹחַ
captive
Dead Sea Scroll
מלקוח
captive
Identical consonantal text. The rhetorical question 'Can prey be taken from the mighty, or captives of a tyrant be rescued?' reads the same in both.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 13
For this is what the LORD says: 'Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant shall be rescued. I myself will contend with those who contend with you, and I myself will save your children.'
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 14
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. Then all flesh shall know that I am the LORD, your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLI, line 15