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The text of the Great Isaiah Scroll is generally consistent with the Masoretic version and preserves all sixty-six chapters of the Hebrew version in the same sequence.[1] There are small areas of damage where the leather has cracked off and a few words are missing. [2] While there is some debate among scholars, it is likely that the entire original scroll was copied by a single scribe, with the text displaying a scribal hand typical of the period of 125-100 BCE.[2] The scroll also displays a tendency towards longer spellings of words which is consistent with this period.[2] There is evidence of corrections and insertions by later scribes between the date of original writing and 68 CE. [2] A unique feature of the scroll is that it is divided into two halves, each with 27 columns and 33 chapters, unlike later versions, suggesting that this may be the earliest dividing point for the book of Isaiah.[3]

The scroll contains scribal errors, corrections, and more than 2600 textual variants when compared with the Masoretic codex[1]. This level of variation is much greater than other Isaiah scrolls found at Qumran, with most, such as 1QIsab, being close to the Masoretic Text[3]. Some variants are significant and include differences in one or more verses or in several words. Most variants are more minor and include differences of a single word, alternative spellings, plural versus single usage, and changes in the order of words[4].

Some of the major variants are notable as they show the development of the book of Isaiah over time or represent scribal errors unique to 1QIsaa. Abegg, Flint and Ulrich argue that the absence of the second half of verse 9 and all of verse 10 in chapter 2 of 1QIsaa indicates that these are slightly later additions. These verses are found in other Qumran Isaiah scrolls, the Masoretic Text, and the Septuagint.[4] In chapter 40, a shorter version of verse 7 is found, matching the Septuagint. In the same verse there is also an insertion by a later scribe showing a longer version that is consistent with the Masoretic Text.[3] There are also several examples of likely scribal error in the scroll, such as Isaiah 16:8-9. Most of of 16:8 is missing and the first part of verse 9 is missing when compared to the Masoretic Tex and Septuagint, suggesting that the scribe's eye may have skipped over part of the text. Abegg, Flint, and Ulrich note that there are a number of errors of this nature and that they may represent a degree of carelessness on the part of the scribe.[4]

In some cases, the variants from 1QIsa have been incorporated in modern bible translations. An example is Isaiah 53:11 where 1QIsaa and Septuagint versions match and clarify the meaning, while the Masoretic Text is somewhat obscure.[3] Dr. Peter Flint notes that better readings from the Qumran scrolls such as Isaiah 53:11 have been adopted by the New International Version translation and Revised Standard Version translation.[5]