Physical Characteristics:

This is the 3rd and last page on the 15th strip of leather that makes up the scroll. All the pages on this page are in very good condition. Like the other 2 this one is also wider than most pages being almost 20% wider than the average page. The page is bright and the script is very clear. The page has no blemishes on it. The seam at the left has had most of the stitching dissolved and no repair work has been done to rebind the seam as has been the case in other earlier seams. The original stitching remains only in the bottom 1/5 of the page. Fragments of the original stitching remain in the top two needle holes. The seam edges are in good condition and none of the leather has chipped away at the seams. There is just a small piece of leather in the bottom margin that has chipped away.

Paragraphs and Spatiums:

The only paragraph marked on this page begins in line 6. It is the beginning of chapter 60. This section is also marked with the section mark in the margin which indicates a new section of content. Below in line 26 chapter 61 is marked only by a spatium indicating that the scribes considered no break in thought between these chapters. The same is true for chapter 62 on the next page. There are spatiums also in lines 3, 13, and 25 but nothing to note any important spacing.

Editorial marks:

There is one editorial mark after the 5th line in the right margin. This is the mark that I describe as a "derby hat." It always is placed in the right margin of the section to be marked. There are 6 occurrences of this mark in the scroll. This mark has been primarily used to mark distinctive divisions in the content of the book. The beginning of Chapter 60 is marked by the symbol on this page and indeed there is a distinct change in thought content in Isaiah at this place. From this point on, Isaiah speaks of the Messiah and the restoration of Zion in clear ways that DO NOT include appeals to the nation to repent so as not to lose their heritage which has characterized most of the book preceding this section. Chapter 40 is the sharpest change in content in Isaiah and the "derby hat" marks that section. It first appears on page 28, and then on page 32: line 28 and page 35: line 23 and page 38: line 6 and on page 43: line 21, and on here on page 49: line 5. See more complete comments on page 28 which is the first page on which the mark appears where it marks the end of the prophetic material about the invasions of the Assyrians and the beginning of the historical description of Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem. See page 28 for links to pages with the "derby" mark. See the introductory page for a discussion of other common editorial marks in the scroll.

 There is an oblique stroke at the right of the first word in line 14. Two words that are in the M text at this point are missing from Q. The editor has marked the omission with this stroke. This is an indication that the editor knew the text was faulty here and did not conform to the text as he knew it.

 Editorial additions to the text:

 In line 26 the original scribe omitted a word from the text. The word "shelachaniy" (he has sent me) is written above the place it was omitted. It is probably the most crudely inscribed correction in the entire scroll. The word is split by the extension of the lamed in the word in the line below it. If the scribe had begun the word after the lamed it would have been less confusing. Other editorial additions include a waw added to the 3rd word in line 3; a cj waw added to the 9th word in line 15; a waw as a vowel added to the 7th word in line 18; and an article "he" added to the 10th word in line 20.

 Q Scribal Spelling:

 Consistent matching 2fs and 2ms suffixes with the same genders that appear in M marks this page. Also the rules that the Q scribe follows is consistently followed in these suffixes on this page. 2ms suf "ka" is spelled "kah" to distinguish from 2fs suf which is "k" when preceded by a vowel sound and "kiy" when preceded by a consonant.. There was much confusion in these suffixes two pages back on page 47 which was marked by inconsistency with matching genders and in applying the rules properly. See illustration of 2ms in line 5: 3rd word and 2fs in line 7: 5th, and 8th words, 2fs spelled as "kiy" is seen in Line 15: 7th word although not completely conforming with the usual rule.
The addition of yod to 2fs pf verb ending when the tau is not preceded by a vowel is seen in line 19: 1st and 7th words.
"he" is added to many words not having final "he" in M on this page which is characteristic of the Q scribe and spelling "hem" and "kem" as "hemah" and "kemah" is continued

. Variations in Q from the Masoretic Text:

 Line 4: 4th word: Q = waw cj not in M.
Line 6: 6th word: Q = omit waw cj which appears in M.
Line 7: 10th word: Q = "le-nagad" inf (to the announcement) and M = "le-nagah" (to the brightness). LXX omits a word in this phrase and the Targum has "to receive" Targum translators give "toward" The letter daleth instead of "he" in the Q text is unmistakable. The word has been emphatically written over with the two characteristic tittles that the Q scribe ordinarily puts atop the daleth clearly indicated.
Line 8: 2nd, 3rd and 4th from last words: Q = "ve-nahar ve-rachav le-vave:k" (and your heart shall flow and be widened) and M = "ve-naharte u-phaqad ve-rachav le-vave:k" (and you (fem) shall flow on and your heart shall fear and be widened.)
Line 9: 3rd from last word: Q = spelling of proper name with final waw and M = final "he" last word: Q = addition of waw to proper name "sheb'a"
Line 10: last word: Q = waw cj not in M.
Line 11: 1st and 2nd words: Q = "le-ratson 'al" adverbially and M = " 'al ratson" adverbially (both mean willingly.) 10th word: Q = a double pe in this word not in M.
Line 12: 7th word: Q = "beney" (my son[s]) and M = "benayik" (your sons).
Line 14: 1st words: Q omits 3 words found in M. They are "kiy be-qitspiy hikiytiyk" (because in my anger I struck you.) There is a horizontal line in the margin that marks this omission.
Line 15: last 2 words: Q = "nothen lak" (is given to you) not in M
Line 16: 1st word: Q = waw cj not in M. 4th word Q spelling: medial "he" added.
Line 17: 3rd word: Q = '"kol" not in M. This is a mistake which includes the next 2 words which were carelessly copied from the text about 7 words further along. The word "mena'atsayik" was written down and the mistake discovered and the original scribe uncharacteristically scratched out the wrong word and left the scratched out text and then wrote the right word. He did not correct the addition of "kol" which should have been obvious to him.
Line 21: last word: Q = 2ms verb form instead of 2fs with which the scribe has been consistent to this point. The context calls for 2fs.
Line 22: 1st word: Q = article "he" not in M. Last word: Q = "be-laylah" (by night) not in M.
Line 24: 5th word: Q = " 'or" (light) spelled with ayin instead of aleph.
Line 25: 1st two words: Q = "mata 'ey YHWH" (the plantings of YHWH) and M = "mata 'ay" (my planting). YHWH is not in M. 3rd and 4th words: Q = "ma 'asey yadayv" (the works of his hands) and M = "ma 'asah yadiy" (the work of my hand).
Line 26: 5th word from last: Q = above the line a scribe has crudely written in a word that was originally left out. "shelachaniy" (he sent me)
Line 27: 8th word: Q = a waw cj found in M is not in Q.
Line 28: last word: Q = "ve-qar 'a-u" cj + v pf 3pl (and they shall call) and M = "ve-qora' " cj + masc part. (and called)

Go to next "Q" scroll page Chapter 61:4 to 63:4

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