The Great Isaiah Scroll 58: 6 to 59:17
Physical Characteristics:This is the 2nd and middle page of three on the 15th strip of leather that makes up the scroll. These 3 pages are by far the widest pages in the scroll. This page is at least 25% wider than the average page in the scroll, The page is in good condition showing no fold lines or blemishes of any kind. The script is bright and there are no faded letters except for one letter, the tau in the 1st word in line 8 which is actually due to a smudge.
Paragraphs and Spatiums:
New paragraphs begin on Line 9 = vs 58:13; and on line 12 = beginning of chapter 59; and on line 28 there is an unusual paragraph division. It is midway through 59:15. The received text paragraph marking begins with vs 16 and not with the phrase that describes YHWH's displeasure with what he saw.
There are only a few narrow spatiums on this page in lines 2, 3, 7, and 20.Editorial marks:
Two horizontal marks enclose verses 58:13, 14. The passage includes an appeal to faithfulness and to keep the Sabbath. The X in the margin at the same position seems to be related also to this verse although it is possible that it highlights a passage on the preceding page.
Editorial additions to the text:
The yod that is edited in line 1 makes the word to conform to the spelling in M. And the "he" added to the 3rd word in line 6 makes certain that the suffix is 2ms and not 2fs as also the 6th word in line 1. The confusion relating to these suffixes encountered in the preceding page seems to have been overcome on this page and a return to consistency is to be observed. A waw is added to last word in line 9 and to the next to last word in line 24.. The addition of ayin to the 2nd word in line 9 is a editor's mistake.
Q Scribal Spelling:
Continue addition of aleph to some words, 2ms suf "kem" = kemah and 3mpl "hem" and "am" = "hemah." "Hen" in M is consistently "henah" in Q.
Variations in Q from the Masoretic Text:
Line 2: 2nd word: Q = "begad" 5th word: Q = a suf "am" 3mpl" is missing.
Line 4: 6th word: Q = waw cj not in M.
Line 6: 1st word: Q= a misspelling. a heth is left out of the word "be-tsachtsachoth." 4th word: Q = "yechaliytsu" 5th stem imp 3mpl. and M = "yechaliyts" 5th stem imp 3ms.
Line 7: 10th word: Q = "ve-qar 'u" cj + pf 3mpl (and they shall call [to you]) and M = "ve-qor'a" 4th stem 3ms (it shall be called [to you]).
Line 9: 4th word: Q adds prep mem (from) to " 'asoth." (doing).
Line 11: 1st word: Q = "ve-harkivekah" cj + 5th stem imp 3ms + suf 2ms. (he will cause you to ride) and M = " ve-hirkavtiyka" cj + 5th stem pf 1cs + suf 2ms (I will cause you to ride). 4th word: Q = "ve-ha 'akiylekah" cj + 5th stem imp 3ms + suf 2ms. (he will feed you) and M = "ve-ha 'akaltiyka" 5th stem pf 1cs + suf 2ms (I will cause you to eat).
Line 12: 8th word: Q = "kavdu" v pf 3cpl (they are heavy) and M + "kavdah" v pf 3fs (it is heavy). 9th word: Q = " 'oznayv" nmpl + suf 3ms. (his ears) and M = " 'azno" nms + suf 3ms (his ear).
Line 14: 5th word: Q = after the 5th word omits 3 words that are found in M and then continues the verse as in M. The missing words are "siphtoteykem diberu sheqer" (your lips have spoken lie[s]). Next to last word: Q spells "qore' " (call) with "he" instead of aleph.
Line 15: 4th word: Q = "batchu" and M = "batoach" 8th word: Q = omits final aleph. 9th word: Q = "haroh" and M = "haro" same word different spelling. 11th word: Q = "ve-holiydu" cj + v. pf 3cpl (they bring forth) and M = "holeyd" 5th stem inf. (bring forth).
Line 17: 5th word: Q = "yikesu" v imp 3mpl (they shall cover) and M = "yithkasu" 7th stem imp 3mpl (they shall cover).
Line 18: 7th word: Q spells "naqiy" (innocent) with final aleph.
Line 19: 2nd word: Q = an extra word "ve-chamas"
Line 20: 5th word: Q = article "he" not in M.
Line 21: 7th word: Q = "be 'aphelah" prep + n.fem s. and M = "be- 'apheloth" prep + n fpl (darkness) 9th word: Q spelling: lacks final "he."
Line 23: 7th word: Q = waw cj not in M.
Line 24: 3rd word: Q = " 'annu' " v pf 3cpl (they testify) and M = "anthah" v pf 3fs. (she testifies)
Line 25: 5th word: Q = "ve-dibru" (and they speak and M = "daber" inf. (speaking). last word: Q = 've- 'asig" v imp 1cs (and I turn away) and M = "husag" 6th stem pf 3ms. (And it is turned away).
Line 29: 4th word: Q = "tsadaktayv" appears plural and M = "tsadakto" singular. But this is a peculiarity of the Q grammar. A yod is added to feminine sing. construct nouns before a 3ms suffix. This is not Masoretic grammar. See an explanation and links to other illustrations of this in the introductory page. as well as the next two words noted where the same mechanism operates. Last word: is an illustration of the same mechanism of adding a yod to singular nouns before the 3ms suffix. Here the yod, as in the last illustration, is added before the 3ms suf but added to a masculine noun. In Q = "be-roshayv" it appears plural but is not and M = "be-rosho" singular without the yod. This is a frequently found grammatical anomaly in the Isaiah Scroll but the scribes are not consistent in its usage. 6th word is a little more difficult to see because the yod is overwritten and the waw is blurred a bit, but this is no doubt the same mechanism at work. It definitely does not have the "hu" ending that is in M (and is overlooked by Kittel.) Here the word in Q = "samaktayv" and M = "smakat-hu" I would dispute the common identification here as not being a qal fem verb, but a fem participle. The presence of the fem pronoun "hiy'" makes it obvious that the continuous action concept that is associated with this form of pronoun + participle in biblical as well as modern Hebrew is meant here. Thus "His righteousness sustains him" or interpretive "is his continual sustaining power."
Go to next "Q" scroll page Chapter 59:17 to 61:4