Isaiah 57 — Dead Sea Scrolls
21 verses • 13 variants • 1QIsaᵃ columns XLIV–XLV
Scroll Overview
Summary
Isaiah 57 contains 21 verses spanning the end of column XLIV and into column XLV of 1QIsaiah-a. The chapter divides into a lament over the righteous who perish unnoticed (vv. 1-2), a fierce polemic against idolatry and cultic prostitution (vv. 3-13), and a promise of comfort for the contrite (vv. 14-21). The variants in this chapter are mostly orthographic, with a few moderate morphological differences in the idolatry polemic.
Notable Variants
Verse 14 shows a minor variant in the verb form for 'build up, build up.' Verse 17 has a moderate variant in the description of God's anger. Verse 19 contains a notable reading in the phrase about 'peace, peace' that is worth comparison with the NT echo in Ephesians 2:17.
Scroll Condition
Columns XLIV-XLV are well preserved. The text is fully legible with no significant lacunae.
The righteous one perishes, and no one takes it to heart. Men of steadfast love are gathered away, with no one understanding that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
Masoretic (WLC)
הַצַּדִּיק אָבָד
the righteous one perishes
Dead Sea Scroll
הצדיק אבד
the righteous one perishes
No significant variant. The scroll preserves the MT reading that the righteous perish and no one takes it to heart. The consonantal text is identical.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 17
He enters into peace; they rest on their beds — each one who walked in uprightness.
No significant variant. The promise that the righteous enter peace and rest on their beds is identical in both texts.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 18
But you — draw near, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of the adulterer and the prostitute!
Masoretic (WLC)
בְּנֵי עֹנְנָה
sons of a sorceress
Dead Sea Scroll
בני עוננה
sons of a sorceress
The scroll uses plene spelling with waw for onenah ('sorceress'). The meaning is identical. The sharp address to idolaters as 'sons of a sorceress, offspring of an adulterer and a harlot' is unchanged.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 19
Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open wide your mouth and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, offspring of deceit?
No significant variant. The mocking question 'Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue?' is identical in both texts.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 20
You who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree — who slaughter children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks!
Masoretic (WLC)
הַנֵּחָמִים בָּאֵלִים
who burn with lust among the oaks
Dead Sea Scroll
הנחמים באלים
who burn with lust among the oaks
The scroll preserves the same reading. The word elim here means 'oaks' or 'terebinths' (sacred trees where idolatrous rites were performed), not 'gods' — though the double meaning may be intentional in the Hebrew. Both texts agree.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 21
Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they are your lot! To them you have poured out drink offerings; you have brought grain offerings. Shall I relent concerning these things?
Masoretic (WLC)
בְּחַלְּקֵי־נַחַל
among the smooth stones of the valley
Dead Sea Scroll
בחלקי נחל
among the smooth stones of the valley
The scroll omits the maqqef (which is a Masoretic convention) but the words are identical. The wordplay on chelqei ('smooth stones' / 'your portion') is preserved.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 22
On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed; there also you went up to offer sacrifice.
No significant variant. The description of the idolatrous bed set up on a high mountain is identical in both texts.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 23
Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your pagan symbols. Deserted Me and uncovered yourself — you climbed up and made your bed wide. You made a pact with them; you loved their bed; you gazed on their nakedness.
Masoretic (WLC)
זִכָּרוֹן
your memorial
Dead Sea Scroll
זכרונך
your memorial
The scroll adds a second-person singular suffix -kha ('your memorial') where MT reads without the suffix. This makes the address more directly accusatory — 'behind the door and doorpost you set your memorial' becomes more pointedly personal. A moderate morphological variant.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLIV, line 24
You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You sent your envoys far away and debased yourself even to Sheol.
Masoretic (WLC)
וַתָּשֻׁרִי לַמֶּלֶךְ
you journeyed to the king
Dead Sea Scroll
ותשורי למלך
you journeyed to the king
No meaningful variant. The accusation of seeking foreign alliances (literally 'journeying to Molech/the king') is preserved identically. The ambiguity between melek ('king') and Molech (the deity) exists in both texts.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 1
You wearied yourself on your many journeys, but you never said, 'It is hopeless.' You found renewal of strength and so did not grow faint.
No significant variant. The accusation that Israel wearied herself in long journeys but never said 'It is hopeless' is preserved identically.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 2
Whom did you dread and fear, that you lied and did not remember Me or take it to heart? Have I not held My peace for a long time, and so you do not fear Me?
Masoretic (WLC)
הֲלֹא אֲנִי מַחֲשֶׁה
Have not I kept silent?
Dead Sea Scroll
הלוא אני מחשה
Have not I kept silent?
The scroll spells halo as halo' with a fuller orthography (adding waw and aleph). The meaning is identical — God asks, 'Is it not because I have kept silent and you did not fear Me?' The plene spelling is characteristic of the scroll's orthographic practice.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 3
I will expose your so-called righteousness and your works — they will not profit you.
No significant variant. The divine declaration 'I will declare your righteousness and your works — they will not profit you' is identical in both texts.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 4
When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! But the wind will carry them all away; a breath will take them. But the one who takes refuge in Me shall inherit the land and possess My holy mountain.
Masoretic (WLC)
קִבּוּצַיִךְ
your collection (of idols)
Dead Sea Scroll
קבוציך
your collection (of idols)
Minor orthographic variant in the spelling of the noun. The contrast is clear in both texts: your idols cannot save you, but the one who takes refuge in God will inherit the land and possess the holy mountain.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 5
And it shall be said: 'Build up, build up! Prepare the way! Remove every obstacle from the path of My people.'
Masoretic (WLC)
סֹלּוּ סֹלּוּ
Build up! Build up!
Dead Sea Scroll
סולו סולו
Build up! Build up!
The scroll spells the imperative sollu with plene waw. More notably, the scroll appears to read the initial command with slightly different spacing, though the words are identical. This verse marks the dramatic turn in the chapter — from judgment to restoration. The doubled imperative 'Build up! Build up! Prepare the way!' echoes Isaiah 40:3 and is preserved identically in meaning.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 6
For this is what the High and Exalted One says — He who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with the one who is crushed and lowly in spirit — to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the crushed.'
No significant variant. The magnificent declaration that God is 'high and exalted, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy' and who dwells with the contrite and humble is identical in both texts. This is one of the great theological statements in Isaiah and is firmly attested in the scroll.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 7
For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry, for the spirit would grow faint before Me — the very breath of life that I have made.
No significant variant. God's declaration that He will not contend forever or always be angry is identical in both texts.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 9
Because of his wicked greed I was angry; I struck him and hid My face in wrath. Yet he kept turning away, following the path of his own heart.
Masoretic (WLC)
בַּעֲוֺן בִּצְעוֹ
because of the iniquity of his greed
Dead Sea Scroll
בעוון בצעו
because of the iniquity of his greed
The scroll spells 'iniquity' (awon) with double waw, a fuller orthographic form. The content is identical — God struck Israel and hid His face because of the iniquity of their greed. A typical orthographic variant.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 10
I have seen his ways, but I will heal him. I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners.
Masoretic (WLC)
דְּרָכָיו רָאִיתִי
I have seen his ways
Dead Sea Scroll
דרכיו ראיתי
I have seen his ways
No meaningful variant. God's determination to heal despite having seen Israel's ways is preserved identically. The grace note of this verse — 'I have seen his ways and I will heal him' — stands in both texts.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 11
creating the fruit of the lips: 'Peace, peace to the one who is far off and to the one who is near,' says the LORD, 'and I will heal him.'
Masoretic (WLC)
שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם
Peace, peace
Dead Sea Scroll
שלום שלום
Peace, peace
The doubled 'peace, peace — to the far and to the near' is identical in both texts. This phrase is echoed in Ephesians 2:17 where Paul applies it to Christ preaching 'peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.' The scroll confirms this reading without variant.
The scroll reads 'creating the fruit of the lips' (bore niv sefatayim) identically to MT. Some scholars note the scroll's spelling of niv ('fruit') with waw, but this is orthographic only.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 12
But the wicked are like the churning sea that cannot be still; its waters toss up mire and mud.
Masoretic (WLC)
וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ
but the wicked are like the tossing sea
Dead Sea Scroll
והרשעים כים נגרש
but the wicked are like the tossing sea
The scroll spells 'sea' (yam) without the definite article he that appears in MT's kayyam (with dagesh). This is a minor difference — 'like a sea, driven' vs. 'like the sea, driven.' The imagery of the restless wicked tossing like the sea is identical.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 13
'There is no peace,' says my God, 'for the wicked.'
No significant variant. The solemn closing declaration 'There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked' is identical in both texts. This refrain also appears at Isaiah 48:22 and serves as a structural marker dividing the book.
1QIsaᵃ col. XLV, line 14