Isaiah 56 — Dead Sea Scrolls
12 verses • 11 variants • 1QIsaᵃ column XLIV
Scroll Overview
Summary
Isaiah 56 opens Third Isaiah with 12 verses. The 1QIsaiah-a text of this chapter is well preserved in column XLIV. The variants are predominantly orthographic — the scroll's characteristic plene spelling is on full display. A few moderate variants appear in the description of the faithless watchmen (vv. 10-12). No major theological variants affect the universalist declarations of vv. 1-8.
Notable Variants
Verse 10 contains a morphological variant in the description of Israel's watchmen as 'blind.' Verse 12 shows a minor plus in the scroll's text of the drunkards' boast. The theologically significant verses on foreigners and eunuchs (vv. 3-7) are remarkably stable between MT and the scroll.
Scroll Condition
Column XLIV is in good physical condition. The text is fully legible throughout this chapter with no significant lacunae or damage.
This is what the LORD says: 'Guard justice and practice righteousness, for My salvation is near — it comes! And My righteousness is about to be revealed.'
Masoretic (WLC)
יְשׁוּעָתִי
My salvation
Dead Sea Scroll
ישועתי
My salvation
The scroll reads identically in meaning. The only difference is the absence of Masoretic vowel pointing, which is expected since 1QIsaiah-a is an unpointed manuscript. The consonantal text is identical.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 2
Blessed is the one who does this, the son of man who holds fast to it — who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and restrains his hand from every evil.
Masoretic (WLC)
מֵחַלְּלוֹ
from profaning it
Dead Sea Scroll
מחללו
from profaning it
No significant variant. The consonantal text is identical between MT and 1QIsaiah-a. The scroll preserves the same reading about keeping the Sabbath from profanation.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 3
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, 'The LORD will surely separate me from His people.' And let not the eunuch say, 'I am only a dry tree.'
Masoretic (WLC)
הַנִּלְוָה
who has joined himself
Dead Sea Scroll
הנלוה
who has joined himself
The scroll uses plene spelling with waw for the participle but the word is the same: hannilveh, 'the one who has joined himself.' The universalist theology of Third Isaiah — foreigners joining themselves to YHWH — is fully present in the oldest manuscript.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 4
For this is what the LORD says to the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant:
Masoretic (WLC)
וּבָחֲרוּ
and choose
Dead Sea Scroll
ובחרו
and choose
Identical consonantal text. The eunuchs who 'choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant' — the scroll confirms this reading without deviation.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 5
'I will give them, within My house and within My walls, a monument and a name better than sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.'
Masoretic (WLC)
שֵׁם עוֹלָם
an everlasting name
Dead Sea Scroll
שם עולם
an everlasting name
No significant variant. The scroll preserves the same promise to eunuchs: 'a name better than sons and daughters, an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.' The consonantal text matches MT.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 6
And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants — every one who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and holds fast to My covenant —
Masoretic (WLC)
הַנִּלְוִים
those who join themselves
Dead Sea Scroll
הנלוים
those who join themselves
The scroll uses plene spelling for the plural participle. The meaning is identical. The repetition of nilvim ('those joining themselves') from verse 3 is preserved, maintaining the structural emphasis on voluntary covenantal attachment.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 7
'I will bring them to My holy mountain and give them joy in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.'
Masoretic (WLC)
בֵּית תְּפִלָּה
a house of prayer
Dead Sea Scroll
בית תפלה
a house of prayer
The iconic phrase 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples' — quoted by Jesus in Mark 11:17 — is identical in the scroll. No variant exists in this theologically crucial verse. The universalist vision of the Temple is firmly attested in the oldest complete Isaiah manuscript.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 9
The Lord GOD declares — He who gathers the outcasts of Israel: 'I will gather still others to him beyond those already gathered.'
Masoretic (WLC)
נִדְחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
the outcasts of Israel
Dead Sea Scroll
נדחי ישראל
the outcasts of Israel
The scroll preserves the same reading: the Lord who gathers the outcasts of Israel will gather yet others besides those already gathered. No significant variant.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 10
All you beasts of the field, come to devour! All you beasts in the forest!
No significant variant. The scroll reads identically to the MT in the summons to the beasts of the field to come and devour.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 11
His watchmen are blind — all of them. They know nothing. They are all mute dogs that cannot bark, dreamers lying down, lovers of sleep.
Masoretic (WLC)
צֹפָו עִוְרִים
his watchmen are blind
Dead Sea Scroll
צופיו עורים
his watchmen are blind
The scroll reads tsofayw ('his watchmen') with a fuller spelling including yod, where MT has the more contracted tsofaw. This is a minor morphological difference — the scroll makes the pronominal suffix slightly more explicit. The devastating critique of Israel's leaders as 'blind watchmen' is identical in both texts.
The scroll also spells 'blind' (iwrim) with waw as owrim, following its characteristic plene orthography.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 13
The dogs have a mighty appetite — they never have enough. And these are shepherds! They have no understanding. They have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, every last one.
Masoretic (WLC)
הָבוּ
bring!
Dead Sea Scroll
הבו
bring!
Minor orthographic variant. The greedy shepherds' cry is identical in both texts. The indictment of leaders who 'cannot understand' and 'all turn to their own way' is fully preserved in the scroll.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 15
'Come,' they say, 'let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of strong drink! And tomorrow will be like today — great beyond measure!'
Masoretic (WLC)
אֶקְחָה־יָּיִן
I will fetch wine
Dead Sea Scroll
אקחה יין
I will fetch wine
The scroll separates the words without the maqqef that appears in MT, and spells yayin ('wine') without dagesh. More notably, some scholars have observed that the scroll may include a slightly expanded text at the end of this verse, with the drunkards' boast 'and tomorrow shall be as this day' rendered with an additional waw conjunction. The difference is negligible in meaning but reflects the scroll's tendency toward fuller expression.
This verse closes the chapter with biting sarcasm — the corrupt leaders' party while the flock suffers. Both texts preserve this indictment equally.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 16