Physical Characteristics:

This is the 3rd page on the 11th strip of leather that makes up the scroll. There is only minimal damage to this page. There is a vertical split in the leather of a little more than 2 inches long at the lower right of the page. Evidence of the fold of which this split is a part can be seen extending to the bottom of the page where a waw is partially obliterated in line 25 1st word.. The seam on the left is mostly neat and tidy except for a small portion at the top.

Paragraphs and Spatiums:

 New paragraphs marked by a preceding line unfilled are seen on Line 9 = Chapter 43:1; and line 12 = 43:3; line 21 = 43:11; line 24 = 43: 14. An indentation in line 26 marks the beginning of a paragraph and vs 43:16. There is only one spatium in line 3 = 42:21. As has been the case on the majority of pages (with only one exception thus far) all spatiums and paragraphs mark sections that are still numerically divided at the same place in the text.

Editorial Marks:

A horizontal stroke is in the indentation that begins line 26. This stroke marks the beginning of a section that was of interest to an editor and the end of the section is marked by a similar stroke at the end of chapter 43 on the next page (37) at line 7. which line begins chapter 44.

 Editorial additions to the text:

 In line 9 an editor felt that yod was required between the 2 participles (creator and maker) and 2ms suffixes on each. M agrees with the original Q scribe and the yods are not needed. In line 10 the editor added aleph to "liy" ( to me) which has been the Q regular method of adding aleph to such words like "miy" and "kiy". In line 12 "goeleka" (your redeemer) has been added to correct the text. In line 13 a "he" is written to make "adam" (mankind) definite.

Q Scribal Spelling:

 There are the usual variations continued of adding "he" to the end of words where it is not expected or needed. An example can be send in line 23: 1st word and in line 25: 4th word. A "he" is also added to the end of 2ms suffixes and pronouns. Substituting waw for yod and yod for waw is also continued. See example of waw where yod is required in line 27: 2nd word. Also the 4th word in line 29 (last line) you will find "be-yishimon" where the waw is added by the Q scribe to show a vowel vocalization rather than a closed syllable which might be supposed without the addition of waw. The Q scribe spells "goyiym" (gentiles) consistently with an aleph as 3rd letter, example in line 17: 7th word.

Variations in Q from the Masoretic Text:

 Line 2: 5th word: Q has a rare example of a word in which the scribe has written the wrong letter and simply scratched it out. The 2nd letter of " 'iver" (blind) is simply overwritten to obliterate it. This is rarely done. There is also the addition of aleph to the body of the word here and in the previous occurrence in Line 2: 3rd word, but not in line 1: 7th word. which is as found in M. 8th word: The Masoretic text has a participle (seeing) here for the qerey but the kithuv is verb pf 2ms "ra'itha" (you have seen) Q = agreement with the kithuv with "he" added to confirm the 2ms ending. Last word: Q = "patchu" verb pf 3pl (they open: as a door) and M = "paqoach" inf. abs. (opening: as eyes.)
Line 3: next to last word: Q = the addition of a double "he" at the end of a word not requiring it. The M text has "ve-ya'adir" (and he will make honorable) which is a 5th stem form here. The yod of the 5th stem is missing from "ve-ye'adir-hah" in Q. Perhaps the Q scribe added the first "he" as a 3fs suf meaning he will make "it" (the Torah) honorable, and in that case adding the "he for 3fs suf (it) requires a sign that it is an open syllable, hence the 2nd "he."
Line 6: 8th word; Q = "zah" and M = "zu." A misspelling in Q?
Line 7: 5th word: Q = his torahs (plural) and M = his torah (singular)
Line 12: 1st word: Q omits "kiy" (for or because) which is found in M. 5th word: After 'Israel" the next word in the M text is omitted. It is "moshiy'eka" (your savior) but an editor has written a substitute word above the line in Q = "go'eleka" (your redeemer) and the next word Q adds a conj. waw not in M. Next to last word: Q gives a plural form for Sheba.
Line 15: 3rd from last word: Q = an aberration not noticed by other editors: Q = obliterated "he" for "miqetseh" (from the end of) and adds plu. cons. yod not in M making the reading "from the ends of ."
Line 16: 4th, 5th, and 7th words: Q = 3ms suf. spelled "eyhu" as in "yatsartiyhu" (I created you) M = "yatsartiyv." 3rd from last word: Q = 3mpl imperative "hotsiy 'u" and M = 2ms imperative "hotsiy' ".
Line 18: 3rd word: Q = "yegiydu" ( they will tell) and M - "yegiyd" (he will tell). For the Hebrew student: Most of line 18 contains verse 43:9. Almost all the verbs are jussive. This is a good example of jussive verbs showing little change from normal imperfect verb forms. There is no subjunctive in Hebrew. "A wish" is expressed by jussive In this case "that they might tell," "that they might be justified," "that they might hear," "that they might say.
Line 20: last word: Q = "hayah" verb perf. and M = yihyeh verb imperf.
Line 22: 7th word: Q = conj. waw missing from "ve-aniy" found in M.
Line 27: 1st word: Q = waw conj. not in M. 3rd word: Q = "yachdayv" and M = "yachdav".
4th word: Q = "yishkevu" with waw and M = "yishkevu" with scheva. In this case the Q scribe uses waw to indicate a vocal sheva. Another example of the same form of waw = scheva page 27 line 1. This is a good illustration of waw being used by the Q scribe as a vowel indicator for any vowel sound. next to last word: Q has "tizkir" 2ms (you remember) and M = "tizkiru" 2mpl (you remember).
Line 28: 8th word: Q = conj waw not in M. next to last word: Q = "te:da 'u" (you shall know) and M = "te:da 'uha" (you shall know it).
Line 29: last line: 5th word: Q = a different reading: "natiybiym" (pathways [in Jeshimon - the desert]) and M = "neharoth" (rivers [in Jeshimon - the desert]).

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