4Q61 Isaiah^g

Language: Hebrew

Date: 50-1 B.C.

Location: Qumran Cave 4

Contents: Isaiah 42:14-43:4; 43:16-24

 

Isaiah 42

14 “I have been silent a long time.

I have been quiet and restrained myself.

Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will both gasp and pant.

15 I will destroy mountains and hills,

and dry up all their herbs.

I will make the rivers islands,

and will dry up the pools.

16 I will bring the blind by a way that they don’t know.

I will lead them in paths that they don’t know.

I will make darkness light before them,

and crooked places straight.

I will do these things,

and I will not forsake them.

 

17 “Those who trust in engraved images,

who tell molten images,

‘You are our gods’

will be turned back.

They will be utterly disappointed.

 

18 “Hear, you deaf,

and look, you blind,

that you may see.

19 Who is blind, but my servant?

Or who is as deaf as my messenger whom I send?

Who is as blind as he who is at peace,

and as blind as Yahweh’s servant?

[..]

21 It pleased Yahweh, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify the law,

and make it honorable.

22 But this is a robbed and plundered people.

All of them are snared in holes,

and they are hidden in prisons.

They have become captives, and no one delivers;

and a plunder, and no one says, ‘Restore them!’

 

23 Who is there among you who will give ear to this?

Who will listen and hear for the time to come?

24 Who gave Jacob as plunder,

and Israel to the robbers?

Didn’t Yahweh, he against whom we have sinned?

For they would not walk in his ways,

and they disobeyed his law.

25 Therefore he poured the fierceness of his anger on him,

and the strength of battle;

and it set him on fire all around, but he didn’t know;

and it burned him, but he didn’t take it to heart.”

 

Isaiah 43

1 But now Yahweh who created you, Jacob,

and he who formed you, Israel says:

“Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you.

I have called you by your name.

You are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned,

and flame will not scorch you.

3 For I am Yahweh your God,

the Holy One of Israel,

your Savior.

I have given Egypt as your ransom,

Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

4 Since you have been precious and honored in my sight,

and I have loved you;

therefore I will give people in your place,

and nations instead of your life.

[..]

16 Yahweh, who makes a way in the sea,

and a path in the mighty waters says:

17 who brings out the chariot and horse,

the army and the mighty man

(they lie down together, they shall not rise;

they are extinct, they are quenched like a wick):

18 “Don’t remember the former things,

and don’t consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I will do a new thing.

It springs out now.

Don’t you know it?

I will even make a way in the wilderness,

and rivers in the desert.

20 The animals of the field shall honor me,

the jackals and the ostriches;

because I give water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert,

to give drink to my people, my chosen,

21 the people which I formed for myself,

that they might declare my praise.

 

22 Yet you have not called on me, Jacob;

but you have been weary of me, Israel.

23 You have not brought me of your sheep for burnt offerings;

neither have you honored me with your sacrifices.

I have not burdened you with offerings,

nor wearied you with frankincense.

24 You have bought me no sweet cane with money,

nor have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices;

but you have burdened me with your sins.

You have wearied me with your iniquities.