A Critical Edition and Philological Analysis of the First Chapter of Deutero-Isaiah (Isa 40) on the Basis of the Coptic Manuscript sa 52 (M 568) in Light of Other Coptic Manuscripts Written in the Sahidic Dialect and the Greek Text of the Septuagint

Abstract

The article presents a critical edition and philological analysis of the first chapter of Deutero-Isaiah worked out on the basis of the Coptic manuscript sa 52.2 and other manuscripts written in the Sahidic dialect. It consists of several parts: 1) general information on the fragment of codex sa 52 containing the text of Isa 40:2), a list and brief characteristics of the remaining witnesses containing at least some verses of the first chapter of Deutero-Isaiah, 3) a presentation of the Sahidic text of Isa 40:4) its translation into English, 5) tables showing linguistic differences between the text of the LXX and its Coptic rendering, and 6) an explanation of the philological problems of the first chapter of Deutero-Isaiah. Of special attention are undoubtedly verses 6, 7 and 8, occurring only in sa 52.2 and have never been published.