Exodus 10:3 until when

[Jason Hare]

I read that there are over 2,600 differences between the Masoretic text of Isaiah and the Isaiah scroll they have from the Dead Sea scrolls.

Are you referring to minor textual differences of missing letters or whole sentences or even different renderings?

Chris watts

The right line of questioning, I think.

[Jonathan Beck]

I read that there are over 2,600 differences between the Masoretic text of Isaiah and the Isaiah scroll they have from the Dead Sea scrolls.

Are you referring to minor textual differences of missing letters or whole sentences or even different renderings?

Chris watts

Yes, more or less.

[Jason Hare]

I read that there are over 2,600 differences between the Masoretic text of Isaiah and the Isaiah scroll they have from the Dead Sea scrolls.

Are you referring to minor textual differences of missing letters or whole sentences or even different renderings?

Chris watts

Yes, more or less.

Jonathan, buddy, that was an either/or question. Minor textual differences or whole sentences or different readings?

[Jonathan Beck]

Well, could be both. But if there are different sentences, the differences would not be major. I'd have to review. There could be words added or removed.

[Kenneth Greifer]

Here is a site that lists the differences between the MT and the Dead Sea scrolls for just Isaiah 53.
https://drmsh.com/michaelsheiser/Letter ... sIsa53.pdf

Look at it and tell me if these are minor differences or not.

[Chris Watts]

Here is a site that lists the differences between the MT and the Dead Sea scrolls for just Isaiah 53.
https://drmsh.com/michaelsheiser/Letter ... sIsa53.pdf

Look at it and tell me if these are minor differences or not.

You asked : "My question is simple – how do we KNOW which text is right and which spellings were
given by God so we could discover his code?"

Hi Kenneth, I am not a scholar but I would like to answer this question from a podium called "Logical reasoning" if I may.

1. Older has never meant more reliable. It annoys me in some Textual writings especially in some bible introductions that "they accessed the most reiiable and oldest known Ms" this is an oxymoronic statement.

2. So God says: "Oops, terribly sorry chaps, it's been 2500 years and finally I am able to give you my word and so it is a Pity the last 100 generations who never seem to have accomplished much from what apparanlty had so many errors but I waited till 1947 for you to discover the Truth".

3. In year 1 I write abc, in year 2 someone copies mine and writes abd, in year 3 someone else copies mine and writes abc. MS from year 1 is lost. Which is more reliable? The oldest or the youngest MS?

So I think we can safely say on many fronts (including theological ones I have not mentioned because this is not appropriate) that what has been handed down to us by the masoretes, kept preserved by God's hand, is the faithful text.

Chris watts

[Kenneth Greifer]

Here is a site that lists the differences between the MT and the Dead Sea scrolls for just Isaiah 53.
https://drmsh.com/michaelsheiser/Letter ... sIsa53.pdf

Look at it and tell me if these are minor differences or not.

You asked : "My question is simple – how do we KNOW which text is right and which spellings were
given by God so we could discover his code?"
Chris watts

Chris,
I don't think I asked that question. I was responding to something someone else said about how good the Masoretic text is because it is so similar to the Dead Sea scrolls. I gave a link for people to see how many differences there are. I also mentioned there are over 2,600 differences between the Isaiah scroll and the Masoretic version of Isaiah.

[Chris Watts]

Here is a site that lists the differences between the MT and the Dead Sea scrolls for just Isaiah 53.
https://drmsh.com/michaelsheiser/Letter ... sIsa53.pdf

Look at it and tell me if these are minor differences or not.

You asked : "My question is simple – how do we KNOW which text is right and which spellings were
given by God so we could discover his code?"
Chris watts

Chris,
I don't think I asked that question. I was responding to something someone else said about how good the Masoretic text is because it is so similar to the Dead Sea scrolls. I gave a link for people to see how many differences there are. I also mentioned there are over 2,600 differences between the Isaiah scroll and the Masoretic version of Isaiah.

Hi Kenneth, Sorry, I have wrongly assumed that you composed that PDF and so I was answering the question on that first page, I did not realise that perhaps you had simply sourced it. Apologies.
Chris watts

[Jason Hare]

Here is a site that lists the differences between the MT and the Dead Sea scrolls for just Isaiah 53.
https://drmsh.com/michaelsheiser/Letter ... sIsa53.pdf

Look at it and tell me if these are minor differences or not.

Spelling differences. Minor indeed.

[Kenneth Greifer]

Here is a site that lists the differences between the MT and the Dead Sea scrolls for just Isaiah 53.
https://drmsh.com/michaelsheiser/Letter ... sIsa53.pdf

Look at it and tell me if these are minor differences or not.

Spelling differences. Minor indeed.

If the Dead Sea scrolls' version of Isaiah and the Masoretic version of Isaiah have 2,600 minor spelling differences, then it kind of proves that the people of the past were very willing to either add or take away letters from some parts of the Hebrew Bible. That is not a minor thing to do if you want to know what the Hebrew Bible said originally.