Isaiah 64:1–4 (Hebrew 63:19b–64:3)

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 63:19–64:3. In Hebrew 63:19b (English 64:1) "and you came down" with a conjunction. In Hebrew 64:1 (English 64:2) a different word for what the fire kindles, and "to your adversaries" written twice. In Hebrew 64:2 (English 64:3) it lacks "not": "when you did awesome things that we hoped for" instead of "that we did not expect." Hebrew 64:3 (English 64:4) as the Masoretic Text, with "and" before "they have not given ear." Otherwise the differences are of spelling (fuller use of vowel letters) and small grammatical forms.

3. 1st century BC – 1st century AD (reported)

   1QIsa-b (1Q8), Qumran Cave 1

   ◐ 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 63:19–64:3. 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 AD; edition 2010s

   1 Corinthians 2:9 (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).

   ἀλλὰ καθὼς γέγραπται, “Ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν, καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσεν, καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη, ἃ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ ˚Θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν.”

   But as it is written: What eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and has not entered into the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him

   Paul's "as it is written"; not the wording of Isaiah 64:4 in Hebrew or Greek. KJV: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

5. 1st century AD; edition 2010s

   Mark 1:10 (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).

   Καὶ εὐθὺς ἀναβαίνων ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος, εἶδεν σχιζομένους τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, καὶ τὸ ˚Πνεῦμα ὡς περιστερὰν καταβαῖνον ἐπʼ αὐτόν.

   And immediately coming up out of the water he saw the heavens torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove

   Mark's narrative of Jesus' baptism. Allusion, not a quotation. Proposed. KJV: "And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:"

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).

   Utinam dirumperes cælos, et descenderes; a facie tua montes defluerent; sicut exustio ignis tabescerent, aquæ arderent igni: ut notum fieret nomen tuum inimicis tuis; a facie tua gentes turbarentur. Cum feceris mirabilia, non sustinebimus; descendisti, et a facie tua montes defluxerunt. A sæculo non audierunt, neque auribus perceperunt; oculus non vidit, Deus, absque te, quæ præparasti exspectantibus te.

   Latin numbering: Isaiah 64:1–4. 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.

   הָיִ֗ינוּ מֵֽעוֹלָם֙ לֹֽא־מָשַׁ֣לְתָּ בָּ֔ם לֹֽא־נִקְרָ֥א שִׁמְךָ֖ עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם לוּא־קָרַ֤עְתָּ שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ יָרַ֔דְתָּ מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ הָרִ֥ים נָזֹֽלּוּ׃ כִּקְדֹ֧חַ אֵ֣שׁ הֲמָסִ֗ים מַ֚יִם תִּבְעֶה־אֵ֔שׁ לְהוֹדִ֥יעַ שִׁמְךָ֖ לְצָרֶ֑יךָ מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ גּוֹיִ֥ם יִרְגָּֽזוּ׃ בַּעֲשׂוֹתְךָ֥ נוֹרָא֖וֹת לֹ֣א נְקַוֶּ֑ה יָרַ֕דְתָּ מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ הָרִ֥ים נָזֹֽלּוּ׃ וּמֵעוֹלָ֥ם לֹא־שָׁמְע֖וּ לֹ֣א הֶאֱזִ֑ינוּ עַ֣יִן לֹֽא־רָאָ֗תָה אֱלֹהִים֙ זוּלָ֣תְךָ֔ יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה לִמְחַכֵּה־לֽוֹ׃

   We have become like those you never ruled, not called by your name. Oh that you would tear open the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence (Hebrew 63:19)

   Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 63:19–64:3. The page's Hebrew begins with all of Hebrew 63:19 (English 63:19 and 64:1).

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).

   Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

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.

   Lorsque vous ouvrirez le ciel, la crainte de vous, Seigneur, saisira les montagnes, et elles s’écrouleront, Comme la cire devant le feu, et la flamme consumera vos ennemis, et votre nom sera signalé parmi eux. À votre aspect les nations seront troublées, Lorsque vous ferez des prodiges; et la crainte de vous saisira les montagnes. Depuis le commencement des siècles nous n’avons point entendu, nos yeux n’ont point vu de Dieu, hormis vous; nous ne connaissons d’œuvres que les vôtres, et vous les accomplirez pour ceux qui attendent votre miséricorde.

   Greek (digital file) numbering: Isaiah 64:1–4. Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text (D check only); a C check needs Ziegler's Göttingen Isaiah or Rahlfs–Hanhart.