They rejected the instruction of the LORD of Hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
— Isaiah 5:24, as applied at Qumran
The Commentary on Isaiah B (4Q162) is a pesher — a running sectarian commentary — on Isaiah 5. The scroll quotes the prophet, then interprets each passage as speaking directly of the community's present conflict: apostates are named, Sheol waits for them, and the Seekers of Smooth Things are condemned. Three fragmentary columns survive, written in a Herodian formal hand.
The Seekers of Smooth Things (דורשי החלקות) appear here as throughout the Qumran pesharim — a consistent term of condemnation, almost certainly aimed at the Pharisaic movement, who are accused of softening the law's demands.
Fragment 1, Column I
(Isaiah 5:5–6)
Now I will tell you what I am about to do to my vineyard:
I will remove its hedge, and it will be grazed down;
I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled.
I will make it a desolation — it will not be pruned or hoed,
and thorns and thistles will grow up;
and I will command the clouds
that they rain no rain upon it.
Its interpretation concerns the Men of Mockery who are in Jerusalem, who have turned aside from [the law of God ...] the congregation of the men of [...]
Fragment 2, Column I
(Isaiah 5:11–14)
Woe to those who rise early in the morning, pursuing strong drink,
who linger into the evening with wine inflaming them.
And there are lyre and lute, tambourine and flute, and wine at their feasts —
but the work of the LORD they do not regard,
the work of his hands they do not see.
Its interpretation concerns [...] the Men of Mockery who are in Jerusalem [...] without [...]
Therefore Sheol has enlarged its throat and opened its mouth beyond measure;
down go her nobles, and her multitude, her din and her reveling.
Its interpretation concerns [...] and the men of [...]
Fragment 2, Column II
(Isaiah 5:24–25)
Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours stubble,
and dry grass sinks down in the flame —
so their root will be as rottenness,
and their blossom will go up as dust —
for they rejected the instruction of the LORD of Hosts,
and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people;
he stretched out his hand against them and struck them,
and the mountains quaked;
their corpses were like refuse in the middle of the streets.
Its interpretation concerns the Seekers of Smooth Things who are in Jerusalem, who have rejected the law of [God] and despised [his word ...] They will perish by the sword and by famine and by pestilence.
(Isaiah 5:29–30)
[They roar over it as the sea roars;
one looks to the land — behold, darkness and distress,]
and the light grows dark with clouds.
Its interpretation concerns [...] the end of days [...] in Jerusalem [...]
Colophon
Text: 4Q162 (Pesher Isaiah B), preserved in three fragmentary columns, discovered in Cave 4, Qumran, 1952. Published in Discoveries in the Judaean Desert V (Allegro, 1968). Lacunae marked [...]. Brackets indicate restorations where the text is damaged but the reading is secure from context.
Translation: New Tianmu Anglican Church. Translated directly from the Hebrew as preserved in García Martínez & Tigchelaar, The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition (Brill, 1997–98), cross-referenced with DJD V. The Seekers of Smooth Things (דורשי החלקות) is a consistent Qumran epithet for opponents of the community, most likely the Pharisees, who appear under the same name in the Commentary on Nahum, the Commentary on Psalms, and the Damascus Document.
Scribal credit: DSS Tulku lineage, 2026.
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Source Text: פשר ישעיהו ב (4Q162)
Hebrew transcription from García Martínez & Tigchelaar, The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition (Brill, 1997–98); DJD V (Allegro, 1968). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
Fragment 1, Column I
(Citing Isaiah 5:5–6)
וְעַתָּה אוֹדִיעָה נָּא אֶתְכֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עֹשֶׂה לְכַרְמִי
הָסֵר מְשׂוּכָּתוֹ וְהָיָה לְבָעֵר פָּרֹץ גְּדֵרוֹ וְהָיָה לְמִרְמָס
וַאֲשִׁיתֵהוּ בָתָה לֹא יִזָּמֵר וְלֹא יֵעָדֵר
וְעָלָה שָׁמִיר וָשַׁיִת
וְעַל הֶעָבִים אֲצַוֶּה מֵהַמְטִיר עָלָיו מָטָר
פִּשְׁרוֹ עַל אַנְשֵׁי הַלָּצוֹן אֲשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם
אֲשֶׁר [סָרוּ מִתּוֹרַת אֵל ...]
עֲדַת אַנְשֵׁי [...]
Fragment 2, Column I
(Citing Isaiah 5:11–14)
הוֹי מַשְׁכִּימֵי בַבֹּקֶר שֵׁכָר יִרְדֹּפוּ
מְאַחֲרֵי בַנֶּשֶׁף יַיִן יַדְלִיקֵם
וְהָיָה כִנּוֹר וָנֶבֶל תֹּף וְחָלִיל וָיַיִן מִשְׁתֵּיהֶם
וְאֵת פֹּעַל יְהוָה לֹא יַבִּיטוּ
וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו לֹא רָאוּ
פִּשְׁרוֹ [...] אַנְשֵׁי הַלָּצוֹן אֲשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם
[...] בְּלֹא [...]
לָכֵן הִרְחִיבָה שְׁאוֹל נַפְשָׁהּ
וּפָעֲרָה פִיהָ לִבְלִי חֹק
וְיָרַד הֲדָרָהּ וַהֲמוֹנָהּ
וּשְׁאוֹנָהּ וְעָלֵז בָּהּ
פִּשְׁרוֹ עַל [...] וְאַנְשֵׁי [...]
Fragment 2, Column II
(Citing Isaiah 5:24–25)
לָכֵן כֶּאֱכֹל קַשׁ לְשׁוֹן אֵשׁ
וַחֲשַׁשׁ לֶהָבָה יִרְפֶּה
שָׁרְשָׁם כַּמָּק יִהְיֶה
וּפִרְחָם כָּאָבָק יַעֲלֶה
כִּי מָאֲסוּ אֵת תּוֹרַת יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת
וְאֵת אִמְרַת קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל נִאֵצוּ
עַל כֵּן חָרָה אַף יְהוָה בְּעַמּוֹ
וַיֵּט יָדוֹ עָלָיו וַיַּכֵּהוּ
וַיִּרְגְּזוּ הֶהָרִים
וַתְּהִי נִבְלָתָם כַּסּוּחָה בְּקֶרֶב הַחוּצוֹת
פִּשְׁרוֹ עַל דּוֹרְשֵׁי הַחֲלָקוֹת אֲשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם
אֲשֶׁר [מָאֲסוּ בְּתוֹרַת אֵ]ל [וְ]נִאֲצוּ [דְּבָרוֹ ...]
[יֹאבְדוּ בְּחֶרֶב וּבְרָעָב וּבַדֶּבֶר]
(Citing Isaiah 5:29–30)
[נַהֲמֹה לוֹ כְּנַהֲמַת יָם
וְנִבַּט לָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה חֹשֶׁךְ צַר]
וְאוֹר חָשַׁךְ בַּעֲרִיפֶיהָ
פִּשְׁרוֹ עַל [...] אַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים [...] בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם [...]
Source Colophon
Hebrew text: 4Q162 (Pesher Isaiah B). García Martínez & Tigchelaar, Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition (Brill, 1997–98); J. M. Allegro, Discoveries in the Judaean Desert V (Oxford, 1968). Lacunae marked [...]. Restored readings in brackets follow scholarly consensus.
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