Isaiah 55 — Dead Sea Scrolls
13 verses • 6 variants • Column XLV of 1QIsaiah-a
Scroll Overview
Summary
Isaiah 55 is the great invitation chapter — 'Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters!' It serves as the conclusion of Second Isaiah (chapters 40-55) with 13 verses in column XLV. The chapter's language of free grace and cosmic joy is remarkably stable across both traditions.
Notable Variants
Verse 1: 'Come, all who thirst' reads identically. Verse 3: the 'everlasting covenant' (berit olam) and 'sure mercies of David' (chasdei David) are identical. Verse 12: a minor variant in the verb form. Overall, this chapter shows exceptional agreement between the scroll and the MT — a fitting conclusion to the Book of Consolation.
Scroll Condition
Well preserved. Column XLV is fully legible.
Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters! And he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Masoretic (WLC)
הוֹי כָּל־צָמֵא
Come, everyone who thirsts
Dead Sea Scroll
הוי כל צמא
Come, everyone who thirsts
Identical consonantal text. 'Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money — come, buy and eat!' — the great invitation of free grace reads the same in the oldest scroll and the medieval MT. (Cf. Revelation 22:17, 'Let the one who is thirsty come.')
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 8
Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your labor for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 9
Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live. And I will make with you an everlasting covenant, the sure covenant loves of David.
Masoretic (WLC)
בְּרִית עוֹלָם חַסְדֵי דָוִד
an everlasting covenant, the sure mercies of David
Dead Sea Scroll
ברית עולם חסדי דויד
an everlasting covenant, the sure mercies of David
1QIsaiah-a reads 'David' with the plene spelling dwyd (with yod), while the MT has the defective spelling dwd. Otherwise the reading is identical: 'I will make with you an everlasting covenant, the sure mercies of David.'
This verse connects the Servant passages to the Davidic covenant — the 'sure mercies' (chasdei) promised to David (2 Samuel 7) are now extended to the people. Quoted in Acts 13:34, where Paul applies it to the resurrection of Jesus. The scroll confirms this reading in the pre-Christian text.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 10
Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 11
Behold, you shall call a nation you do not know, and a nation that does not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 12
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.
Masoretic (WLC)
יִמָּצֵא
may be found
Dead Sea Scroll
ימצא
may be found
Identical consonantal text. 'Seek the LORD while he may be found.'
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 13
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 14
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 15
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Masoretic (WLC)
מַחְשְׁבוֹתַי
my thoughts
Dead Sea Scroll
מחשבותי
my thoughts
Minor orthographic variant in the suffix. 'My thoughts are not your thoughts.'
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 16
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 17
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT here.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 18
For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace. The mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Masoretic (WLC)
תֵצֵאוּ
you shall go out
Dead Sea Scroll
תצאו
you shall go out
Identical consonantal text. 'You shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.' This ecstatic conclusion to Second Isaiah is the same in both traditions.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 19
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Masoretic (WLC)
לְאוֹת עוֹלָם
an everlasting sign
Dead Sea Scroll
לאות עולם
an everlasting sign
Identical reading. 'It shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.' The final verse of Second Isaiah — a promise that God's redemptive work will stand forever — is confirmed by the oldest manuscript.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 20