Isaiah 52:7–10

Every witness, in order

1. 8th–6th century BC (by section; debated)

   The oracle as first spoken or written

   – No copy survives

   No original survives. The oldest copies of Isaiah are the Qumran scrolls: the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a, about 125 BC, nearly complete), 1QIsa-b (1Q8) and some twenty other fragmentary manuscripts.

2. c. 125 BC (palaeography; reported)

   Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a), Qumran Cave 1

   ✓ Contains this passageDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

   How the site knows this: Described from a published transcription of the manuscript. Described in the site's own words from Martin Abegg's transcription (ETCBC/CACCHT Dead Sea Scrolls dataset v2.0.5); the transcription itself is not reproduced. Photographs and DJD XXXII not yet checked.

   Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 52:7–10. The herald's feet and "Your God reigns" as in the Masoretic Text, with "the one who brings good news" written twice and the order of two phrases changed. Otherwise the differences are of spelling (fuller use of vowel letters) and small grammatical forms.

3. 1st century BC (reported)

   4QIsa-b (4Q56), Qumran Cave 4

   ◐ Contains part of itDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

   How the site knows this: Described from a published transcription of the manuscript. Described in the site's own words from Martin Abegg's transcription (ETCBC/CACCHT Dead Sea Scrolls dataset v2.0.5); the transcription itself is not reproduced. Photographs and DJD XXXII not yet checked.

   Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 52:7–10. A fragmentary copy: only parts of these verses survive, and in the transcription much of the passage is restored by the editors. What survives agrees with the Masoretic Text.

4. 1st century BC – 1st century AD (reported)

   4QIsa-d (4Q58), Qumran Cave 4

   ◐ Contains part of itDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

   How the site knows this: Described from a published transcription of the manuscript. Described in the site's own words from Martin Abegg's transcription (ETCBC/CACCHT Dead Sea Scrolls dataset v2.0.5); the transcription itself is not reproduced. Photographs and DJD XXXII not yet checked.

   Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 52:7–10. A fragmentary copy: only parts of these verses survive, and in the transcription much of the passage is restored by the editors. Preserves "salvation" and "to Zion" in agreement with the Masoretic Text.

5. 1st century AD; edition 2010s

   Romans 10:15 (Greek New Testament; library: Statistical Restoration text)

   ✓ Contains this passageUncertain relationship to the verse (which wording it followed is the question)

   How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: the Greek New Testament editions in the library (Textus Receptus, Byzantine Textform, Statistical Restoration).

   Πῶς δὲ κηρύξωσιν ἐὰν μὴ ἀποσταλῶσιν; Καθὼς γέγραπται, “Ὡς ὡραῖοι οἱ πόδες τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων ἀγαθά!”

   How shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things

   Paul applies the herald to the apostles. KJV: "And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

6. Jerome c. AD 400, from Hebrew; edition 1592

   Latin Vulgate (Clementine)

   ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Hebrew text Jerome used

   How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Clementine Vulgate (1592 edition).

   Quam pulchri super montes pedes annuntiantis et prædicantis pacem; annuntiantis bonum, prædicantis salutem, dicentis Sion: Regnabit Deus tuus! Vox speculatorum tuorum: levaverunt vocem, simul laudabunt, quia oculo ad oculum videbunt cum converterit Dominus Sion. Gaudete, et laudate simul, deserta Jerusalem, quia consolatus est Dominus populum suum; redemit Jerusalem. Paravit Dominus brachium sanctum suum in oculis omnium gentium; et videbunt omnes fines terræ salutare Dei nostri.

   Latin numbering: Isaiah 52:7–10. Jerome translated Isaiah from Hebrew (c. AD 400).

7. AD 1008

   Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)

   ✓ Contains this passageDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

   How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, a digital transcription of the Leningrad Codex.

   מַה־נָּאו֨וּ עַל־הֶהָרִ֜ים רַגְלֵ֣י מְבַשֵּׂ֗ר מַשְׁמִ֧יעַ שָׁל֛וֹם מְבַשֵּׂ֥ר ט֖וֹב מַשְׁמִ֣יעַ יְשׁוּעָ֑ה אֹמֵ֥ר לְצִיּ֖וֹן מָלַ֥ךְ אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ׃ ק֥וֹל צֹפַ֛יִךְ נָ֥שְׂאוּ ק֖וֹל יַחְדָּ֣ו יְרַנֵּ֑נוּ כִּ֣י עַ֤יִן בְּעַ֙יִן֙ יִרְא֔וּ בְּשׁ֥וּב יְהוָ֖ה צִיּֽוֹן׃ פִּצְח֤וּ רַנְּנוּ֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו חָרְב֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם כִּֽי־נִחַ֤ם יְהוָה֙ עַמּ֔וֹ גָּאַ֖ל יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ חָשַׂ֤ף יְהוָה֙ אֶת־זְר֣וֹעַ קָדְשׁ֔וֹ לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וְרָאוּ֙ כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֔רֶץ אֵ֖ת יְשׁוּעַ֥ת אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃

   How lovely on the mountains are the feet of the herald who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion: Your God reigns! (v. 7)

   Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 52:7–10.

8. 1611

   King James Bible

   ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from printed Masoretic Hebrew

   How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: King James Version (1769 text).

   How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

9. Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872

   Greek Isaiah (library: Giguet's French)

   ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Old Greek Isaiah

   How the site knows this: Known here only through a translation.

   Me voici, comme le printemps sur les montagnes, comme les pieds de celui qui annonce la bonne nouvelle de la paix, comme celui qui annonce les biens; car je publierai ton salut, disant: Sion, ton Dieu va régner! Tes gardiens ont élevé la voix, et ils se réjouiront tous à grands cris; car ils verront de leurs yeux, quand le Seigneur aura fait miséricorde à Sion. Que la joie éclate dans les solitudes de Jérusalem; car le Seigneur lui à fait miséricorde, et il a sauvé Jérusalem. Et le Seigneur montrera son bras saint à tous les gentils; et de toutes les extrémités de la terre on verra le salut qui vient de notre Dieu.

   Greek (digital file) numbering: Isaiah 52:7–10. Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text (D check only); a C check needs Ziegler's Göttingen Isaiah or Rahlfs–Hanhart.