Željko Stanojević
Institute for Hebrew Language and Literature, Belgrade
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0717-6184
Abstract
This study presents a detailed philological and text-critical analysis of Column 8 of the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaa), focusing on orthographic variation, scribal features, and textual structure within Isaiah 8:8–9:11. The research examines patterns of spelling variation, consonantal fluctuation, orthographic expansion, and selected morphological irregularities, alongside the use of matres lectionis and evidence of scribal correction.
Particular attention is given to the comparison between the Qumran text and the Masoretic Text, highlighting both orthographic divergences and significant textual variants. The study also includes a structured English translation of the column, aligned with the manuscript and supported by philological analysis.
Keywords
Great Isaiah Scroll; 1QIsaa; Qumran; Dead Sea Scrolls; Biblical Hebrew; Qumran Hebrew; orthography; textual criticism; scribal practices; Masoretic Text; Hebrew linguistics; Isaiah 8–9
Description
This work represents the eighth unit within a broader research project dedicated to the systematic analysis of all fifty-four columns of the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaa). Column 8 is examined through a combined philological, linguistic, and text-critical approach, with emphasis on orthographic variation, scribal intervention, and the classification of textual variants.
The analysis includes a detailed examination of the physical and textual characteristics of the manuscript, including spacing (spatia), internal segmentation, and evidence of scribal corrections. Particular attention is devoted to the structural function of spacing and its possible role in marking syntactic, rhetorical, and transitional units, especially in relation to the shift from Isaiah 8 to Isaiah 9.
Patterns of orthographic expansion, consonantal variation, and selected morphological inconsistencies are identified and evaluated in relation to the Masoretic Text. The study further explores the use of matres lectionis and their role within the orthographic system of Qumran Hebrew, as well as the treatment of key lexical and theological expressions within the column.
In addition to the analytical component, the work provides a structured English translation of Column 8 (Isaiah 8:8–9:11), reflecting the manuscript’s orthographic and textual features while preserving philological precision.
Access
Primary scholarly version (DOI):
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19666959
Open repository version (HCommons record):
https://works.hcommons.org/records/qvmen-qqa12
Alternative access (Academia.edu):
https://www.academia.edu/165804732/COLUMN_8_THE_GREAT_ISAIAH_SCROLL_FROM_QUMRAN_1QISAA_ORTHOGRAPHIC_AND_SCRIBAL_FEATURES_ANALYSIS_AND_TRANSLATION
Citation
Stanojević, Željko. Column 8 – The Great Isaiah Scroll from Qumran (1QIsaa): Orthographic and Scribal Features, Analysis, and Translation. Zenodo, 2026. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19666959
Project Context
This study forms part of a comprehensive 54-column critical analysis of the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaa), conducted within a unified philological and methodological framework. Each column is treated as an independent analytical unit within the broader reconstruction and interpretation of the manuscript.
Related Studies
– <a href="http://<!– wp:shortcode –> [https://zeljkostanojevic.hcommons.org/170-2/] Previous Column 7:
– Research Project Overview:
https://zeljkostanojevic.hcommons.org/the-great-isaiah-scroll-from-qumran-1qisaa-research-project-overview/