SPECIAL COURSE: GREAT ISAIAH SCROLL
Line-by-Line Analysis and Comparison with the Masoretic Text and Major Bible Translations
The Institute for Hebrew Language and Literature offers a highly specialized course titled Great Isaiah Scroll: Line-by-Line Analysis and Comparison, intended for advanced students and researchers who wish to study one of the most important biblical manuscripts in depth.
This course focuses on the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaa) from Qumran, providing a detailed philological, linguistic, and textual analysis of the manuscript, with systematic comparison to the Masoretic Text and major modern Bible translations.
Course Concept
The course is designed as a research-oriented program, based on direct work with the original Hebrew text of the Great Isaiah Scroll. The central method of the course is line-by-line analysis, allowing participants to understand not only the meaning of the text, but also its orthographic, grammatical, and scribal features.
Students will engage with the manuscript as a living textual witness, examining how the text was written, transmitted, and preserved.
Course Content
The program includes:
- introduction to the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaa)
- historical and textual context of the manuscript
- detailed line-by-line reading of selected columns
- analysis of orthographic features (including matres lectionis)
- identification of scribal practices (additions, omissions, corrections)
- grammatical and syntactic analysis of the Hebrew text
- comparison with the Masoretic Text
- identification and discussion of textual variants
- comparison with major modern Bible translations
- evaluation of translation strategies and interpretative choices
- discussion of how meaning shifts between manuscript, Masoretic text, and translations
- introduction to advanced philological methodology
A key aspect of the course is understanding how small textual differences influence interpretation, translation, and theological reading.
Methodology
The course follows a structured analytical approach combining:
- philological analysis
- linguistic examination
- textual comparison
- contextual interpretation
Students will develop the ability to approach ancient manuscripts critically and systematically.
Entry Requirements
Enrollment in this course requires prior completion of:
- Hebrew for Beginners
- Biblical Hebrew Bet Level
- Introduction to Qumran Manuscripts
or equivalent knowledge, verified through a WhatsApp assessment call.
Course Structure and Expectations
The course lasts three months and is held twice a week, with each session lasting 90 minutes.
This is an intensive and demanding program intended for serious students and researchers. Participants are expected to dedicate 30–45 minutes of daily study at home in addition to live sessions.
All participants receive complete course literature in PDF format free of charge, including manuscript materials, analytical guides, comparison tables, and translation notes.
Start Date
The course begins on June 10, 2027, five days after the completion of the Biblical Hebrew Bet Level.
Instructor
The course is led by Prof. Željko Stanojević, Hebrew linguist, biblical philologist, and specialist in Qumran studies, with extensive research dedicated to the Great Isaiah Scroll, including orthographic, scribal, and textual analysis.
Fees and Enrollment
Course fee:
- 900 EUR (full payment)
- 380 EUR per month (3 installments) → total 1,140 EUR
For additional information and enrollment, please contact:
This course represents one of the most advanced levels of study offered by the Institute and is intended for those who wish to engage seriously with the original text of the Hebrew Bible and its manuscript tradition.