"Comfort, comfort my people — speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and call to her that her warfare is ended."
4Q176 — The Consolations — Dead Sea Scrolls
Tanhumim — "Consolations" — is a Qumran anthology of consolation passages drawn primarily from Deutero-Isaiah (chapters 40–54), a thematic collection rather than a pesher. Unlike the commentaries that interpret biblical prophecy line by line with sectarian application, Tanhumim assembles the great divine promises of Israel's restoration into a single devotional chain: oracle beside oracle, the whole voice of comfort gathered and held.
The scroll was found in Cave 4 at Qumran (4Q176) and preserves approximately twenty-one fragments of two or more manuscript columns. The text is highly lacunose; only the major passages are reliably preserved. The selection is not arbitrary. These are the specific promises of rescue — water and fire passed through safely, the cup of wrath removed from the hand, Zion awake and clad in her strength, the covenant of peace that will not be removed. The community read them as words addressed to themselves.
Fragments 1–2, Column I — The Voice in the Wilderness
Isaiah 40:1–5
Comfort, comfort my people —
so speaks your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.
Call out to her that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the hand of the LORD
double for all her sins.
A voice cries in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the LORD —
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
every mountain and hill made low.
The uneven ground shall become level,
the rough places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together —
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Fragments 1–2, Column II — The Servant Called from the Ends of the Earth
Isaiah 41:8–9
But you, Israel, my servant —
Jacob, whom I have chosen —
seed of Abraham my beloved:
I took you from the ends of the earth,
called you from its farthest corners.
I said to you: You are my servant;
I have chosen you and not cast you off.
Fragment 3 — Fear Not, I Have Redeemed You
Isaiah 43:1–2, 4–6
Now thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob,
your Fashioner, O Israel:
Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name — you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I am with you.
Through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.
When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned;
the flame shall not consume you.
[...]
Because you are precious in my eyes,
honored — and I love you —
I give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
Fear not, for I am with you.
I will bring your offspring from the east
and gather you from the west.
I will say to the north: Give them up —
and to the south: Do not withhold.
Bring my sons from far away,
my daughters from the ends of the earth.
Fragments 8–9 — The Servant Vindicated; Zion Will Not Be Forgotten
Isaiah 49:7, 13–17
Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One,
to one despised, to one abhorred by the nations,
to the servant of rulers:
Kings shall see and arise;
princes shall prostrate themselves —
for the sake of the LORD, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.
[...]
Shout for joy, O heavens —
rejoice, O earth —
break forth in song, O mountains!
For the LORD has comforted his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted.
But Zion said: The LORD has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.
Can a woman forget her nursing child,
showing no compassion for the son of her womb?
Even these may forget —
but I will not forget you.
See: I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me.
Your builders hasten;
your destroyers and despoilers go out from you.
Lift your eyes around and look —
all of them gather, they come to you.
Fragment 11 — The Cup of Wrath Removed
Isaiah 51:22–23
Thus says your LORD, the LORD, your God
who pleads the cause of his people:
See — I have taken from your hand
the cup of staggering,
the bowl of my wrath.
You shall drink it no more.
And I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,
who said to you: Bow down, that we may walk over you.
You made your back like the ground,
like a street for them to pass over.
Fragment 13 — Awake, O Zion
Isaiah 52:1–3
Awake, awake — put on your strength, O Zion!
Put on your garments of splendor,
O Jerusalem, holy city —
for there shall come into you no more
the uncircumcised and the unclean.
Shake yourself from the dust — rise up!
Sit enthroned, O Jerusalem.
Loose the bonds from your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion!
For thus says the LORD:
You were sold for nothing,
and without silver you shall be redeemed.
Fragment 19 — The Covenant of Peace
Isaiah 54:4–10
Fear not — for you will not be put to shame.
Do not be confounded — for you will not be humiliated.
The shame of your youth you shall forget;
the reproach of your widowhood you shall remember no more.
For your maker is your husband —
the LORD of hosts is his name.
The Holy One of Israel is your redeemer —
God of all the earth he is called.
For the LORD has called you
like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit,
a wife of youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I forsook you —
but with great compassion I will gather you.
In overflowing anger for a moment
I hid my face from you —
but with everlasting steadfast love I will have compassion on you,
says the LORD, your Redeemer.
For this is as the waters of Noah to me:
as I swore that the waters of Noah
should no more pass over the earth,
so I have sworn not to be angry with you,
not to rebuke you.
For the mountains may depart
and the hills be removed —
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
says the LORD who has compassion on you.
Colophon
Text: 4Q176 (Tanhumim / Consolations), Cave 4, Qumran. Approximately twenty-one fragments of two or more manuscript columns. Published: J.M. Allegro, Qumrân Cave 4, I (4Q158–4Q186), DJD V (Clarendon, 1968). The scroll strings together consolation passages from Isaiah 40–54 into a devotional chain, likely for liturgical or meditative use within the community.
Sources consulted: Florentino García Martínez & Eibert Tigchelaar, Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, vol. 1 (Brill, 1997); J.M. Allegro, DJD V (1968).
Translation: Good Works Translation. Translated from Hebrew (Isaiah text as preserved in the Qumran fragments, collated with the Masoretic Text where the fragments overlap). Highly fragmentary throughout; major lacunae indicated by [...]. The seven fragment groups above represent the reliably preserved portions. Smaller fragments (Frags 4–7, 14–18, 20–21) are too damaged for independent translation.
Scribal credit: New Tianmu Anglican Church, DSS Tulku lineage, 2026.
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Source Text
4Q176 — תנחומים (Tanhumim)
Fragments 1–2, Column I (Isaiah 40:1–5)
נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי יֹאמַר אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
דַּבְּרוּ עַל-לֵב יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם וְקִרְאוּ אֵלֶיהָ
כִּי מָלְאָה צְבָאָהּ כִּי נִרְצָה עֲוֹנָהּ
כִּי לָקְחָה מִיַּד יְהוָה כִּפְלַיִם בְּכָל-חַטֹּאתֶיהָ
קוֹל קוֹרֵא בַּמִּדְבָּר פַּנּוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָה
יַשְּׁרוּ בָּעֲרָבָה מְסִלָּה לֵאלֹהֵינוּ
כָּל-גֶּיא יִנָּשֵׂא וְכָל-הַר וְגִבְעָה יִשְׁפָּלוּ
וְהָיָה הֶעָקֹב לְמִישׁוֹר וְהָרְכָסִים לְבִקְעָה
וְנִגְלָה כְּבוֹד יְהוָה וְרָאוּ כָל-בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו
כִּי פִּי יְהוָה דִּבֵּר
Fragments 1–2, Column II (Isaiah 41:8–9)
וְאַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר בְּחַרְתִּיךָ
זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם אֹהֲבִי
אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱזַקְתִּיךָ מִקְצוֹת הָאָרֶץ
וּמֵאֲצִילֶיהָ קְרָאתִיךָ
וָאֹמַר לְךָ עַבְדִּי אַתָּה
בְּחַרְתִּיךָ וְלֹא מְאַסְתִּיךָ
Fragment 3 (Isaiah 43:1–2, 4–6)
וְעַתָּה כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה בֹּרַאֲךָ יַעֲקֹב
וְיֹצֶרְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַל-תִּירָא כִּי גְאַלְתִּיךָ
קָרָאתִי בְשִׁמְךָ לִי אָתָּה
כִּי-תַעֲבֹר בַּמַּיִם אִתְּךָ אָנִי
וּבַנְּהָרוֹת לֹא יִשְׁטְפוּךָ
כִּי-תֵלֵךְ בְּמוֹ-אֵשׁ לֹא תִכָּוֶה
וְלֶהָבָה לֹא תִבְעַר-בָּךְ
[...]
מֵאֲשֶׁר יָקַרְתָּ בְעֵינַי נִכְבַּדְתָּ וַאֲנִי אֲהַבְתִּיךָ
וְאֶתֵּן אָדָם תַּחְתֶּיךָ וּלְאֻמִּים תַּחַת נַפְשֶׁךָ
אַל תִּירָא כִּי אִתְּךָ אָנִי
מִמִּזְרָח אָבִיא זַרְעֶךָ וּמִמַּעֲרָב אֲקַבְּצֶךָ
אֹמַר לַצָּפוֹן תֵּנִי וּלְתֵימָן אַל-תִּכְלָאִי
הָבִיאִי בָנַי מֵרָחוֹק וּבְנוֹתַי מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ
Fragments 8–9 (Isaiah 49:7, 13–17)
כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה גֹּאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל קְדוֹשׁוֹ
לִבְזֹה-נֶפֶשׁ לִמְתָעֵב גּוֹי לְעֶבֶד מֹשְׁלִים
מְלָכִים יִרְאוּ וָקָמוּ שָׂרִים וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ
לְמַעַן יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר נֶאֱמָן קְדֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּבְחָרֶךָּ
[...]
רַנּוּ שָׁמַיִם וְגִילִי אָרֶץ וּפִצְחוּ הָרִים רִנָּה
כִּי-נִחַם יְהוָה עַמּוֹ וַעֲנִיָּיו יְרַחֵם
וַתֹּאמֶר צִיּוֹן עֲזָבַנִי יְהוָה וַאדֹנָי שְׁכָחָנִי
הֲתִשְׁכַּח אִשָּׁה עוּלָהּ מֵרַחֵם בֶּן-בִּטְנָהּ
גַּם-אֵלֶּה תִשְׁכַּחְנָה וְאָנֹכִי לֹא אֶשְׁכָּחֵךְ
הֵן עַל-כַּפַּיִם חַקּוֹתִיךְ חוֹמֹתַיִךְ נֶגְדִּי תָּמִיד
מִהֲרוּ בָּנַיִךְ מְהָרְסַיִךְ וּמַחֲרִיבַיִךְ מִמֵּךְ יֵצֵאוּ
שְׂאִי-סָבִיב עֵינַיִךְ וּרְאִי כֻּלָּם נִקְבְּצוּ בָאוּ-לָךְ
Fragment 11 (Isaiah 51:22–23)
כֹּה-אָמַר אֲדֹנָיִךְ יְהוָה וֵאלֹהַיִךְ יָרִיב עַמּוֹ
הִנֵּה לָקַחְתִּי מִיָּדֵךְ אֶת-כּוֹס הַתַּרְעֵלָה
אֶת-קֻבַּעַת כּוֹס חֲמָתִי לֹא-תוֹסִיפִי לִשְׁתּוֹתָהּ עוֹד
וְשַׂמְתִּיהָ בְּיַד-מוֹגַיִךְ אֲשֶׁר-אָמְרוּ לְנַפְשֵׁךְ שְׁחִי וְנַעֲבֹרָה
וַתָּשִׂימִי כָאָרֶץ גֵּוֵךְ וְכַחוּץ לַעֹבְרִים
Fragment 13 (Isaiah 52:1–3)
עוּרִי עוּרִי לִבְשִׁי עֻזֵּךְ צִיּוֹן
לִבְשִׁי בִּגְדֵי תִפְאַרְתֵּךְ יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם עִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ
כִּי לֹא יוֹסִיף יָבֹא-בָךְ עוֹד עָרֵל וְטָמֵא
הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר קוּמִי שְּׁבִי יְרוּשָׁלָ֫יִם
הִתְפַּתְּחִי מוֹסְרֵי צַוָּּארֵךְ שְׁבִיָּה בַּת-צִיּוֹן
כִּי כֹה אָמַר יְהוָה חִנָּם נִמְכַּרְתֶּם וְלֹא בְכֶסֶף תִּגָּאֵלוּ
Fragment 19 (Isaiah 54:4–10)
אַל-תִּירְאִי כִּי-לֹא תֵבוֹשִׁי
וְאַל-תִּכָּלְמִי כִּי לֹא תַחְפִּירִי
כִּי בֹשֶׁת עֲלוּמַיִךְ תִּשְׁכָּחִי
וְחֶרְפַּת אַלְמְנוּתַיִךְ לֹא תִזְכְּרִי-עוֹד
כִּי בֹעֲלַיִךְ עֹשַׂיִךְ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ
וְגֹאֲלֵךְ קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹהֵי כָל-הָאָרֶץ יִקָּרֵא
כִּי-כְאִשָּׁה עֲזוּבָה וַעֲצוּבַת רוּחַ קְרָאָךְ יְהוָה
וְאֵשֶׁת נְעוּרִים כִּי תִמָּאֵס אָמַר אֱלֹהָיִךְ
בְּרֶגַע קָטֹן עֲזַבְתִּיךְ וּבְרַחֲמִים גְּדֹלִים אֲקַבְּצֵךְ
בְּשֶׁצֶף קֶצֶף הִסְתַּרְתִּי פָנַי רֶגַע מִמֵּךְ
וּבְחֶסֶד עוֹלָם רִחַמְתִּיךְ אָמַר גֹּאֲלֵךְ יְהוָה
כִּי-מֵי נֹחַ זֹאת לִי
אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי מֵעֲבֹר מֵי-נֹחַ עוֹד עַל-הָאָרֶץ
כֵּן נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי מִקְּצֹף עָלַיִךְ וּמִגְּעָר-בָּךְ
כִּי הֶהָרִים יָמוּשׁוּ וְהַגְּבָעוֹת תְּמוּטֶינָה
וְחַסְדִּי מֵאִתֵּךְ לֹא-יָמוּשׁ
וּבְרִית שְׁלוֹמִי לֹא תָמוּט אָמַר מְרַחֲמֵךְ יְהוָה
Source Colophon
Manuscript: 4Q176 (Cave 4, Qumran). Published DJD V (Allegro, 1968). Hebrew text above based on García Martínez & Tigchelaar DSSE vol. 1, compared with the MT for the canonical Isaiah passages. Variants from the MT are minor orthographic differences typical of the Qumran scribal tradition. Approximately twenty-one fragments; only the major fragment groups are reproduced here.
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