Exploring Isaiah Handout

Tim Mackie !
1
Isaiah - Composition & Design Notes
The Book of Isaiah
Key Background to Isaiah: The Covenant story
God’s promise of a wounded victor who will crush the snake: Genesis 3:14-15
• God will send a “seed” from the woman who will strike and be struck by the snake and its seed
The rise of Babylon and God’s covenant with Abraham: Genesis 3-11 + 12, 15, 17
• The founding of Babylon is the culmination of the human rebellion that began with the snake
• God is going to bring salvation and blessing to all nations through Abraham’s family
The Exodus from Egyptian slavery and God’s covenant with Israel: Exodus 1-15 + 19-24
• God confronted the evil of Egypt and provided a way of escape through the waters of the sea
• God calls Israel to obey the Torah in order to become priests to the nations
God’s covenant with David: 2 Samuel 7 (and its parallel in 1 Chronicles 17), Psalms 2, 22, 69, 72, 102
• God promises that a descendant will come from David that will bring blessing to all nations
The Plotline of Isaiah:

The Story: God’s covenant plan is to bring blessing and salvation to all nations through Abraham →
through Israel → through the Davidic messiah.
The Problem: Israel and the nations have rebelled resulting in the destruction of Jerusalem’s
destruction and the exile of the line of David
The Plot: How is God going to fulfill his covenant promises in the face of Israel’s rebellion and exile?
The Main Literary Movements in Isaiah

Chs. Content Literary Type
1-12 Jerusalem rebels, is judged and redeemed Poetry + Narrative [Ahaz]
13-27 God’s justice and salvation among the nations Poetry
28-35 God’s justice and salvation among Israel Poetry
36-39 Jerusalem saved > Babylonian exile predicted Narrative + Poetry [Hezekiah]
40-48 Israel called out of Babylon as a witness to the nations Poetry
49-55 God calls a servant to act on behalf of Israel Poetry
56-66 Israel back in the land > awaiting future redemption Poetry
Tim Mackie !2
Key Historical Events/Dates Referred to in Isaiah

– 735 B.C. Aram and N. Israel ally to attack Jerusalem and replace the Davidic king Ahaz [see 2
Kings 16; Isaiah 7-8]
– 722 B.C. Assyrian empire destroys and exiles N. Israel (see 2Kings 17), and forces S. Judah under
king Ahaz into submission. [Isaiah 5-10]
– 701 B.C. Hezekiah, the Davidic king and son of Ahaz, rebels against Assyrian empire; the
Assyrians attack Judah; Yahweh saves Jerusalem [2 Kings 18-20; Isaiah 28-35, 36-39]
– 610–586 B.C. Babylon conquers Assyria, takes over Judah, and finally destroys Jerusalem and
exiles many Judeans [2 Kings 24-25; Isaiah 39]
– 539 B.C. Cyrus topples Babylon, allows exiled Judeans to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the
temple [Isaiah 40-55; Ezra 1-2]
– 520s-510s B.C. The second temple is built under Zerubbabel and Joshua [Ezra 3-6; Haggai,
Zechariah 1-8]
– 450s-430s B.C. Ezra and Nehemiah attempt a spiritual reformation of the returned exiles with
mixed results and failing conditions in Jerusalem [Ezra-7-10; Nehemiah 1-13; Zechariah 7-8;
Malachi; Isaiah 56-66]
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Isaiah 1: Literary Design and Themes

1:1 – Isaiah the prophet lived and prophesied about Jerusalem and Judah in the reigns of Uzziah
(mentioned in 6:1), Jotham, Ahaz (featured in ch. 7), and Hezekiah (featured in chs. 36-39)
1:2-9: Accusation and metaphorical descriptions of judgment
1:10-20: Accusations about hypocritical worship and covenant violantion
1:21-26: Chiastic poem about Zion’s purification and restoration
A O how the faithful city (‫ )עיר נאמנה‬has become a prostitute” [1:21a]

B once full of justice (‫…)משפט‬but now murderers [1:21b]
C Metaphor: purification + metal smelting (‫[ )סיג‬1:22]
D Leaders are corrupt + social injustice [1:23]
D’ Divine judgment on God’s enemies [1:24]
C’ Metaphor: purification + metal smelting (‫[ )סיג‬1:25]
B’ I will restore your judges (‫ )שפט‬as in former times [1:26a]
A’ After this, you will be called ‘City of Righteousness,’ ‘Faithful City (‫[ )עיר נאמנה‬1:26b]
1:27-31: Final depiction of future hope: Zion’s judgment ➞ Zion’s restoration

• This paragraph has been composed with the final chapters of the book in mind, evident by the
many connections of unique vocabulary and themes:
Isaiah 1:27-31 Intertextual Allusions in Isaiah 56-66
1:27a “Zion will be redeemed (‫ )פדה‬with justice” 51:11 “the redeemed of Yahweh will return and
come to Zion”
62:12 “and they will be called “Holy People,
Redeemed of Yahweh”
1:27b “…and her repentant ones (‫ )שׁוב‬with 59:20 “a redeemer will come to Zion, and to those
righteousness” who repent of rebellion (‫ פשׁע‬+ ‫ )שׁוב‬in Jacob”
1:28a “rebels (‫ )פשׁעים‬and sinners will be broken 66:24 “they will go out and look on the corpses of
together” the rebels (‫)פשׁעים‬
1:28b “and those who abandon Yahweh (‫ )עזבי יהוה‬65:11 “and as for you who abandon Yahweh ‫)עזבי‬
will come to an end” (‫יהוה‬, who forget my holy mountain”
1:29 “they will be ashamed (‫ )בושׁ‬of the oaks 65:3 “those who sacrifice in the gardens (‫”)הגנות‬
(‫ )אילים‬y’all desired (‫… )חמד‬and the gardens 57:5 “those who enflame themselves among the
(‫ )הגנות‬which they chose (‫)אשר בחרתם‬ oaks (‫ )אילים‬they desired (‫)חמד‬
65:13 “my servants will rejoice, but you will be
ashamed (‫)בושׁ‬
1:31 “and they will burn together, and no one can 66:24 “and their fire will not be extinguished
extinguish (‫”)כבה‬ (‫”)כבה‬
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Isaiah 2-4: Literary Design and Themes

This section is framed by two matching poems depicting Zion’s restoration and the fulfillment of its
role among the nations. These outer frames surround three poems depicting the coming “day of
Yahweh” on Jerusalem and the nations.
Restoration Zion’s purifying judgment Restoration

2:1-5 4:2-6
2:6-22 3:1-15 3:16-4:1
Restoration of Restoration of a holy
Temple
TempleoninMt. Zion
Zion remnant on Mt. Zion
The Day of Yahweh Israel’s corrupt male Israel’s arrogant
Pilgrimage of the against everything leaders will face ruin “daughters of
“the Branch of
nations “high” (‫ )רום‬and and humiliation for Zion” will face
Yahweh”
“exalted” (‫)גבה‬ social injustice ruin and shame
Justice + Peace and “lifted up” (‫“[ )נשא‬bread & cloak,” [“bread & cloak,”
Divine glory comes
3:1, 3:6-7] 4:1]
among the nations to temple
2:1-4: At the “end of days” Yahweh will gather all nations to Zion
a. The eschatological reference links to the messianic theology of the Torah (Gen 49:1; Numbers
24:14; Deuteronomy 4:30; 31:29)
b. This passage is built on the theology of Genesis 12:1-3: God’s purposes with Abraham’s family
(Isaiah 1) are done with an eye to his universal plan for all nations.
c. Pilgrimage of the nations to Zion: This passage develops this core theme that will later appear
in the Psalms (22:27-28) and Prophets (Hag 2:6-9; Zech 2:11; 8:20-23)
2:5 (link verse): Therefore Israel is called to turn to Yahweh’s “light” and repent
• This is an editorial “link verse” that has joined together two distinct poems (2:2-4 and 2:6-22).
The method of composition is to borrow key phrases from the surrounding context (see the
same method in 5:30; 8:23a; 11:10).
• “house of Jacob” is taken from 2:6, referring to Israel as a 12-tribe unified whole
• “come, let us walk” = what the nations say in 2:3 as the journey to Zion
• “in the light of Yahweh” = “that he may teach us, and let us walk in his ways” (2:3). The
remnant of Israel is called upon to join the nations in living by God’s will revealed in the
Torah.
2:6-22: The “day of Yahweh” is coming to humble the proud (2:6-22)

• This poem introduces a core theme in Isaiah: Yahweh alone will be exalted as Creator and
King, and he will bring low all the proud and arrogant among Israel and the nations.
• Key Vocabulary:
• 2:9 “and humanity will be laid low (‫)שׁחח‬, and men brought down (‫”)שׁפל‬
• 2:11, 2:17 “the proud (‫ )גבה‬eyes of humanity will be brought down (‫)שׁחח‬, and the
exalted (‫ )רום‬men laid low (‫)שׁפל‬, and Yahweh alone will be exalted (‫ )שגב‬that
day”
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• 2:12-14: “Yahweh has a day against everything proud (‫ )גאה‬and exalted (‫)רום‬, and
everything that is lifted up (‫ ;)נשא‬and it will be brought down (‫)שפל‬
3:1-15: Israel’s leaders have become corrupt, leading the nation to destruction (3:1-15)
3:16-41: Yahweh will judge the “proud daughters of Zion”
4:2-5: Yahweh will restore Zion

• This section corresponds to 2:1-5 with its focus on “Mt. Zion” and the temple (2:2 // 4:5), but here
the focus is on the preservation of a remnant in Zion after the day of Yahweh explored in chs. 2-3.
The paragraph is dense, and packed with a collage of metaphors drawn from other places in the book
and the rest of the OT.
a. “the branch of Yahweh”: common designation for the new Davidic king, see Jer 23.5; 33.18;
Zech 3.8; 6.12
b. The remnant in Jerusalem is declared “holy” and are “written down for life” (cf. Mal 3:16; Ps
69:29; 87:6; Dan 7:10, 12:1)
• Three titles for the remnant in 4:2-3: “survivor” (‫)פליטה‬, “remnant” (‫)שׁאר‬,
“leftover” (‫)נותר‬. These words will play a key role in the rest of the book.
c. Daughters of Zion are washed and purified (reference back to 3:16-26)
d. Creation imagery: 4:5 “create” is adopting creation vocabulary from chs. 40-55 which refers to
the era of salvation (41:20; 43:7; 45:8)
e. Zion/Temple imagery in 4:5
a. mekon “site” is an allusion back to “established” (nakon) of 2:2
b. “cloud” and “smoke” is an allusion to the divine “glory” (‫ )כבוד‬over the tabernacle
(Exod 40:35-40) and Solomon’s temple (1 Kgs 8:10-11)
f. Exodus imagery
a. Pillar of cloud by day / and fire by night ➞ Exod 13:21-22 and 14:19-20
g. Wedding Imagery:
a. khuppah: reference to a bridal chamber (see Ps 19:6; Joel 2:16)
h. Storm imagery:
a. This vocabulary is used elsewhere in Isaiah to describe the divinely ordained attack on
Judah and Jerusalem for its covenant failure (see 28:2, 7; 30:30; 32:2). This line get
adopted in 25:4-5 to refer to God’s shelter of the poor in the final judgment.
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Compositional Design: There are three pre-existing blocks of material that have been woven together
into a unified composition with a clear strategy:
A: Poems that accuse N. Israel and S. Judah of covenant violation. They announce the coming attack
of a foreign oppressor who will be a tool of Yahweh’s justice. This collection has been introduced by
the vineyard poem (5:1-7), and is followed by collection of seven “woe” poems (5:8, 11, 18, 20-22;
10:1, 5) and five other judgment poems with an identical concluding refrain (“for all this his wrath is
not turned away, and his hand is still outstretched,” see 5:25; 9:11, 16, 20; 10:1). These poems have
been broken up, and the B narrative material has been spliced within them.
B: A collection of narratives about Isaiah in 8th century Jerusalem which are interwoven with short
poems:
Narrative Poetic Oracle(s)
6:1-10 6:11-13
7:1-6 7:7-9
7:10-17 7:18-25
8:1-5 8:6-10
8:11 8:11-9:7
The narratives focus on the context and main theme of Isaiah’s prophetic vocation: he announced the
coming of Assyria to judge Israel and Judah, but by means of the poems, the author wants to show
how these promises of judgment and hope were not only for Isaiah’s day, but connected to the future
hope for Israel after the judgment (ch. 6), and to the future of the royal line of David (chs. 7-9).
C: Poems about downfall of Assyria and the rise of the future messianic king who will bring about a
renewed creation and a new exodus of Israel back into a restored Zion (11:1-16), resulting in a new
Exodus song (12:1-6) matching the Song of the Sea in Exodus 15.
B C
A 5:1-30 6:1-9:7 9:8-10:34 11:1-12:6
Narrative + Poems 10:5-34 11:1-16
5:1-7 5:8-24: six “woes” 6:1-13 10:1 one “woe”
Messianic
7:1-25 woe! Woe to King!
Poem of the woe! woe! woe! woe! woe! woe! 8:1-9:7 Assyria! 12:1-6
Vineyard
5:25-30: 1 refrain poem 9:12, 16, 20; 10:1: 4 refrain poems New Exodus
the outstretched hand! the outst retched hand! Song!
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Isa 5:1-7: Song of the vineyard

• This poems is a powerful thematic introduction to chs. 5-12 that retells the covenant storyline
in the metaphoric narrative of a vineyard.
• The judgment on the failed vineyard is to be handed over to the elements: 5:6 “it will not be
pruned or hoed, and there will arise thorns and thistles” — This becomes a key, repeated
metaphor for Assyrian/Babylonian judgment in the rest of the book (see 7:23-25; 10:17; 27:4;
32:15).
Isa 5:8-24 + 25-30: 6 woe oracles + announcement of the attacking nation

• 5:25-29
• 5:26a “and he will lift up a banner to nations from afar”
• This is the first introduction of a “foreign oppressor” theme: In the immediate
historical situation of Isaiah’s day this would refer to Assyria (“he whistles” 5:26
➞ 7:18), but this poem has been adapted to account for the later onslaught of
Babylon (“raise the banner” 5:26 ➞ 13:2-5), and beyond.
• A key intertext alluded to here is Jer 5:15, which also focuses on the onslaught of
Babylon; while historical Isaiah likely envisioned Assyria, the author has adapted
the word “nations” to be plural, connecting “the banner” to 11:12 and 49:22, and
now refers to the eschatological onslaught of the nations against the messianic
kingdom. And this motif is itself developed from the covenant curse of Deut
28:49.1
• 5:30: shows signs of being a “compositional comment” (= fortschreibung): v.30 adopts

the key word of v.29 (‘growl’ ‫ )נהם‬and expands its meaning by linking the growling of
the lion (Assyria > Babylon > nations) to the ‘growling of the sea’:
• the sea roaring is an image of the hostile nations depicted as a chaos monster: see
Jer 6:23 for the same image describing the enemy from the North.
• The invasion of the nations brings the reversal of Gen 1:2-3: darkness and sea
instead of light and land.
• 5:30 has numerous compositional links with 8:22-9:1, which reverses them one
by one. The coming of darkness/chaos with the eschatological battle will be
reversed by the coming of light/garden in the arrival of the messianic king [ch.9]
1 Historically, then, we need not doubt that Isaiah himself had Assyria in view, and indeed, if this material originated with
the refrain poem we must assume that it comes from the time of the Syro-Ephraimite invasion (and so much earlier than the
woe series) and that it was originally directed against Israel rather than Judah. When the redactor moved the material to its
new position following the woes of ch. 5, however, he reinterpreted it more eschatologically—of the Babylonian defeat as
a first fulfilment, but potentially of the final onslaught of the nations before the inauguration of messianic rule. For this
reason, and to make explicit the reversal of the theme in 11:12 and 49:22, he changed the singular ‘nation’ in v. 26 that
Isaiah himself had written to the plural ‘nations’ of the present text. Since all these points are closely related and share the
same outlook, it seems most economical to hypothesize that it was the same redactor who gave the material its new
position, referred its threat to the nations and added v. 30 by way of explanatory extension. — Hugh G.M. Williamson,
(2006). A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Isaiah 1–27: Commentary on Isaiah 1–5. (Vol. 1, pp. 402–403).
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Isa 6:1-13: Isaiah experiences judgment and forgiveness and is commissioned to announce that Israel
must experience the same: Judgment leading to restoration
a. 6:1-7: Isaiah encounters the “holy one,” Israel’s true “king” (‫)מלך‬, which exposes his sin and
impurity (6:5). God’s holiness becomes a dangerous fire that moves towards Isaiah and his sin,
resulting in a burning judgment (see 4:4) that “removes your iniquity and atones for your sin” (6:7)
• This is strange: atonement usually results from animal sacrifice (see Leviticus 1-7, 16), or the
payment of a “ransom price” to fund the temple (see Exodus 30:11-16). This is the only place
in the OT where a person’s sin is done away with by “burning.”
b. 6:8-10: Isaiah’s call to repentance will paradoxically harden Israel in their rebellion to ensure their
judgment [connected to the motif of Pharaoh’s heart in Exodus 3-14]
• Key Words: Israel’s spiritual perception is dulled (eyes are blind, ears are deaf…) until after
the time of judgment. Isaiah’s vision of Israel’s restoration will have to address Israel’s
blind and deaf condition (42:18-20; 43:8) and heal them (6:10 ➞ 29:18; 32:3; 35:5)
c. 6:11-13: There will be two stages to Yahweh’s judgment:

1. 6:11-12: A devastation that that results a “great abandonment” (‫עזובה‬, alluded to in 54:6)
2. 6:13a: There will be a 10th remaining in the land!
3. 6:13b: But the remnant will also undergo a burning judgment
4. 6:13c: A compositional comment: a holy ‘seed’ will emerge for the restoration (which is
linked to the restored remnant in 4:2-6).
d. Isaiah 6:11-13 creates a mental map for the storyline of judgment and restoration that the reader
discovers in the rest of the book
Stage 1: vs.11-12 Stage 2: vs.13

Rebellious Israel/Judah ➞ “land is desolate” ➞ Remaining 10th ➞ “it also will be burned” ➞ Holy Seed
Assyrian attack (chs. Jerusalem is spared Babylonian exile (ch.39) The servant/s
36-37) b/c of Hezekiah’s of chs. 40-66
faith (ch.37)
Isa 7:1-9 + 7:10-25: House of David is tested, and fails. Immanuel is a sign of judgment on Ahaz, but
a sign of hope for the future of the line of David.
• This narrative is broken into two panels, each containing a short story about Ahaz’ response in the
Aramean-Israelite crisis of 735 B.C.
Narrative about Ahaz Poems about Divine Salvation/Judgment
Panel 7:1-6: Ahaz is faced with a choice to “believe” 7:7-9: The divine promise to save the house of
#1
in God’s promise David and Jerusalem
Panel 7:10-17: Ahaz refuses to trust God’s sign, so 7:18-25: Divine promise to send Assyria to
#2
God gives a double-edged sign ravage the land
• The story fits into the narrative framework provided by 2 Kings 16 (2 Kgs 16:5 = Isa 7:1), but the
author of Isaiah has (1) omitted the account of Ahaz buying protection from the Assyrians in 2 Kgs
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16:7-9 and the story of his adoption of an Assyrian altar in the Jerusalem temple (2 Kgs 16:10-18).
In the place of these omissions, the author has (2) added new material about Ahaz’ response in the
crisis (7:2-17) and it is not a flattering portrait (“and his heart shook, like trees shake in the wind”
7:2).
• Panel #1: 7:1-9

• Isaiah and his son she’ar-yashub (= “a remnant will return”) go to meet Ahaz and encourage
him that God’s power will deliver him if he only “keeps watch and keeps quiet, don’t be
afraid” (‫ ➞ השׁמר והשׁקט אל תירא‬30:15 and 37:6).
• He is told that the “plans” (‫ )יעץ‬of the nations “will not stand” (‫ )לא תקום‬against the house of
David (7:5-7)
• 7:9: “if y’all don’t show faith (‫)תאמינו‬, then y’all won’t be faithfully established (‫)לא תאמנו‬:
This ultimatum given to Ahaz is significant beyond it’s original setting in the crisis facing him
in 735 B.C.
• to “be faithfully established” (Niphal ‫ )אמן‬is a key-word link to the divine promises to
David of a coming descendant who will build a temple and rule God’s kingdom forever
2 Samuel “and your house and your kingdom will be faithfully established forever, and your throne made
7:16 firm forever.
1 Samuel “Yahweh will give my lord a faithfully established house”
25:28
Ps 89:21, “I have found David my servant…my faithfulness and my covenant love are with him…forever I
25, 29 will keep my covenant love for him, and my covenant faithfully established with him.
Isa 55:5 “I will make with y’all an eternal covenant, the faithful covenant promises to David.”
• “Ahaz is being challenged (7:9b) and encouraged (7:11) to exercise faith on the basis of God’s
promises to David that his position is secure, but he rejects the invitation (7:12). At this point,
Isaiah turns his back on the house of David. It is striking that his addresses to Ahaz in 7:13
are all plural (y’all listen…), indicating that what is to follow reaches beyond Ahaz as an
individual… We must take seriously the conditional nature of 7:9 (“if y’all don’t show
faith…”). It is not the general safety of the land that is made conditional, but the continuity of
the Davidic dynasty itself. This is what Ahaz has apparently forfeited by his lack of faith, and
it will have further serious consequences in the form of Assyrian invasion into the larger
territory of Judah, as 7:18-25 will indicate.” — Hugh G.M. Williamson, Variations on a
Theme: King, Messiah, and Servant in the Book of Isaiah, 106-107.
• Panel #2: 7:10-25

• 7:10-11: God offers to give Ahaz a “sign” (‫ )אות‬that will confirm the divine commitment to
David’s house. The sign is portrayed here a good gift offered to a cowardly king.
• 7:12: Ahaz refuses the sign, with a show of hollow piety.
• “The author of Isaiah does not include the information from the 2 Kings 16 account, rather in
this narrative it is only Ahaz’ refusal to ask for the sign which justifies his condemnation. In
Isaiah 7, Ahaz is not censured for his appeal to Assyria for help, or even his unorthodox
alteration of Yahweh’s altar (see 2 Kings 16:10-18 for both events). These are not even
mentioned. Rather, he is censured for his refusal to ask for a sign that would confirm the divine
promise of deliverance… The author of Isaiah resisted saying all that might be said about this
incident, instead focusing his words, and therefore the reader’s attention, on the point of his
story… By omitting Ahaz’ appeal to Assyria, the author of Isaiah 7 focuses the reader on the
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“sign” and the crucial role it plays in the unfortunate incident… None other than God himself
tells Ahaz to request a sign confirming the divine word just given, a request that he explicitly
refuses, bringing divine displeasure… The sign was offered to confirm a divine promise, so that
Ahaz’ refusal to request that sign amounts to a lack of faith in God. Ahaz’ “pious” objection
becomes in this narrative a rejection of the sign-command and thus is a form of “unbelief” (see
7:9).” — Jacob Stromberg, An Introduction to the Study of Isaiah, 74-75.
• 7:13-14, 16-17 God offers Ahaz a sign anyway, but now it’s a double-edged promise: (1) the
Immanuel child will be born, which will be Ahaz’ replacement; (2) God is bringing Assyria to
defeat the Aramean-Israelite coalition (hooray!), and also to ravage the land of Judah in the
process (oh no!).
• 7:15 is a compositional note that stands outside of the birth announcement (see the parallel
naming accounts in Gen 4:25; 16:11; 29:32; Exod 2:10; 1 Sam 1:20; Isa 8:3-4), 7:14 is
followed by 7:16 seamlessly.
• 7:15 copies verbatim the language from 7:16 “he knows to reject evil and choose good”
and also from 7:22 “eat curds and honey.” This note projects the sign of 7:14 into the
future beyond the Assyrian judgment, and places the child among the ‘remnant’ who
survives the Assyrian onslaught described in 7:22. At this moment in the story, the
referent is left ambiguous, but the signs are pointing toward Hezekiah in Isa 36-39.
• 7:18-25: God is going to call Assyria to fend of Judah’s enemies, but this will result in a
devastation of the land (described in the language of 5:6) and will leave behind only a
“leftover” (‫נותר‬, remember 4:2-3) who will eat the wild produce of the land.
Isa 8:1-22:
• 8:1-4: Isaiah takes up a writing kit to inscribe his prophetic message as a “witness”: Ahaz
rejected the prophetic message, which is going to backfire on him big-time.
• 8:5-8: Ahaz (= “this people” in 8:6) has rejected God’s offer of assistance (= “the gentle
waters of Shiloah”) in relation to the crisis caused by the Aramean-Israelite coalition.
Therefore, God is bringing Assyria (= the overflowing Euphrates) that will sweep through the
land “overflowing Judah, reaching up to the neck” (8:8, repeated in 30:28).
• 8:9-10 takes up the Immanuel promise from 7:14 and projects it into the future: the defeat of
Assyria in Judah because of Hezekiah’s faith (cf. chs. 36-39) becomes an example of how any
future nations who oppose God’s plans will be confronted by the house of David.
• 8:11-15: God will paradoxically become a “stone of stumbling, a rock of tripping” (8:14,
repeated in 28:16) to Israel and Judah, orchestrating their downfall.
• 8:16-22: Isaiah composes his prophetic testimony and commits it to his disciples for a future
day that awaits its fulfillment:
• 8:16: “bind up the testimony and seal up torah among my disciples (‫ ➞ ”)למודים‬This
becomes an icon for the prophetic testimony of the book of Isaiah as a whole (see the
developments of this theme in 29:11-12; 30:8-11; 34:16)
• 8:17 “and I will eagerly wait (‫ )חכה‬for Yahweh who’s hiding his face (‫ )הסתיר פניו‬from
the house of Jacob, and I will wait for him (‫ ➞ ”)קוה‬Isaiah commits his testimony of
judgment and salvation to a scroll, commits it to his disciples, and then sits and “waits”
for the time of judgment to pass. This “waiting” vocabulary becomes a key theme in the
book, as the generations after the exile are still “waiting” for Yahweh’s salvation
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• “wait eagerly” (‫)חכה‬: 30:18; 64:3 / “wait for” (‫)קוה‬: 25:9; 26:8; 33:2; 40:31; 49:23;
59:9, 11.
• 8:18 “I and the children Yahweh has given me become signs and wonders in Israel”
• 8:19-22: The prophetic “Torah and Testimony” which are sealed up are the only reliable
source of divine guidance during the “age of darkness”
Isa 8:23-9:7: After the age of judgment/darkness, “a great light” will appear: the messianic king will
come and defeat the oppressor
• 9:1-2: The northern Galilean tribes, who were the first to fall to foreign oppression (see 1
Kings 15:29), will be the first to be restored. The great darkness (picking up the image from
5:30, 8:22), will give way to a great light (prepping us for Isaiah 60, the culmination of this
theme).
• 9:1: Israel’s covenant history is divided into “the former time” (‫ )ראשׁון‬and “the latter
time” (‫)האחרון‬. These become key words adopted in chs. 40-66 for the new era of
salvation announced on the other side of Babylonian exile (see 30:8; 41:4, 22; 42:9;
43:18; 48:3; 65:16-17)
• 9:3-6: The messianic king will be a “greater-than-Gideon” who will defeat the oppressive
nations and bring light into the darkness and re-establish the throne of David forever.
• 9:3b: The arrival of the deliverer will bring “shatter” (‫ )חתת‬the “yoke” (‫)ע ֹל‬, the
“rod” (‫ )מטה‬and the “staff” (‫ )שׁבט‬of the oppressor. This vocabulary is connected to the
“human rod” God uses in 2 Samuel 7: 14 and is preparing us for understanding the role
of Assyria (see 10:5, 15, 24) and Babylon (see 14:4-5), and also recalls the role of
Immanuel in 8:8-10 of “shattering” (‫ )חתת‬enemy nations.
• 9:3b The future deliverer is depicted with imagery that recalls the victory of Gideon
over the Midianites: “the day of Midian” refers to Judges 6-8 (cf. 10:26 “like the
striking of Midian at the rock of Oreb,” refers specifically to Judg 7:25).
• 9:4: burning of the remains of the enemy is connected to holy war imagery: Israel was
to burn the plunder, not take it all: see Josh 11:6, 9.
• 9:5: The king’s arrival is announced as birth of a royal son, and therefore linked to the
Immanuel child of 7:13-15 and 8:8-10. The symbolic names of the child are highly
significant:
• “wondrous planner”
• ‫“ = פלא יועץ‬planner of signs and wonders” see the later restatements of this
name in 28:29 [“he make wondrous counsel,” ‫ ] ִה ְפלִיא ֵעצָה‬and 25:1 [“you
have made wonderous counsel,” ‫ ;] ָעשִׂיתָ ֶפּלֶא עֵצוֹת‬this is Exodus-deliverance
terminology, see Exod 15.11; Mic 7.15.
• It means that he will perform great signs and wonders to accomplish divine
deliverance on God’s behalf. This is inspired by the Moses-model from
Exodus and Deuteronomy 34:10-12.
• “mighty God” (‫)אל גבור‬
Tim Mackie !12
• a title used only elsewhere of Yahweh (see Isa 10:21, also Deut 10:17; Jer
32:18), an explicit statement that this king is the embodiment of divine
power (see also Ps 45:4-6)2
• “father of eternity” (‫)אביעד‬
• the messianic king is elsewhere promised a long reign and ‘length of
days’ (2 Sam 7:16; Ps 21:5; 72:5, 17)
• ‘father’ is puzzling, given that this king is first called “son” (9:5a; see also
Psalm 2). Most likely, “father” is metaphorical for “the one responsible
for,” as in Isa 22:21 (Shebnah is “father” for the people of Jerusalem). In
relationship to God, this king is “son,” but in relation to God’s people, he is,
so to speak, “father.”
• “prince of peace” (‫)שר שׁלום‬
• his rule will bring about an era of peace (9:6, recall 2:2-4).
• there is an important link to Micah 5:4, also about this messianic king (“this
one is our peace”).
• 9:6 is filled with language not only from the Davidic covenant in 2Sam 7, but from a
number of other messianic passages describing the king’s rule:
• increase of the government: 2 Sam 7.9-11; Jer 23.5; Ps 72.8-11
• and peace: 2 Sam 7.11; Isa 11.3-9; Ps 72.12-14; Eze 34.25-31; Mic 5.5;
• the throne of David and upon his kingdom: 2Sam 7.12-13; Isa 16.5; Jer 23.5; Eze
34.23-24; Hos 3.5
• justice and righteousness: Isa 16.5; 32.1; jer 23.5 Ps 72.2;
• from now until forever: 2Sam 7.13; Ps 72.5;
• 9:6c “the zeal of Yahweh of hosts will accomplish this” = 37:32 Hezekiah’s faith
overcomes Assyria.
8:1-9:6 develops the mental map of Isaiah 6 with new vocabulary and themes:
Israel’s Rebellion ➞ Time of Divine judgment ➞ Time of Divine salvation

Ch. 6 Israel’s “hard” heart/blind/deaf Exile and devastation of Judah Holy seed remains
Ch. 7 Ahaz’ rejection of Isaiah’s “sign” Assyrian devastation of Judah Immanuel and remnant
Ch. 8-9 “the way of this people” (8:11) stumbling, shattering, darkness Light, defeated oppressor
Messianic king!
8:16-18 Isaiah’s prophetic message rejected ➞ period of “waiting” ➞ fulfillment of divine promise!
Sealed scroll passed onto disciples “the former time” (9:1a) “the latter time” (9:1b)
9:8-10:4: The sin of Ahaz’ generation and the resulting judgment

• This section continues the pattern from 5:7-30 of “woe” poems interwoven with the
“outstretched hand” poems, describing the imminent divine judgment of Assyrian invasion.
• 9:8-12 “outstretched hand” poem #2
2Psalm 45 is the only other OT passage where deity is explicitly ascribed to the messianic king (45:6): “your throne, O
rwbg
God, is forever and ever.” This poem contains many intertextual links with Isa 9: “mighty” ( ; Ps 45.4 > Isa 9.5);
“righteousness” (qdc; Ps 45.5,7 > Isa 9.6); “throne” (ask; Ps 45.7 > Isa 9.6); “kingdom” (twklm; Ps 45.7 > Isa 9.6).
Tim Mackie !13

• 10:1-4 “Woe!” #7 + “outstretched hand” poem #5
10:5-11:10 The Fall of Assyria and Salvation of the Remnant

- This section has been arranged as a series of two triads with corresponding panels and images
Assyria’s pride ➞ Assyria’s Downfall ➞ Fall of Assyria = Salvation for the
Remnant
A — 10:5-15 B — 10:16-19 C — 10:20-27
P Prideful speeches of the Yahweh burns Assryia’s forest Yahweh preserves a remnant beyond
A Assyrian King with the fire of Israel judgment
N - 10:14 “no one will flee” (‫)נדד‬ - Tree imagery: Yahweh sends - 10:20-23: three sayings about the
E - 10:15 “one waving a rod” (‫)נוף‬ a forest (‫יער‬, v. 18, 19) fire surviving remnant
L - 10:24-27: promise of Assyria’s
downfall
- linked to previous unit by key word
#1
“remnant” (10:20-22 < 10:19 ,‫)שאר‬
A’ — 10:28-32 B’ — 10:33-34 C’ — 11:1-16
P The war march of Assyria’s king Yahweh fells Assyria’s forest Future king gathers the nations in a new
A - 10:31 “Madmena flees” (‫ )נדד‬- Tree imagery: Yahweh fells creation
N - 10:32 “he waves his hand (‫ )נוף‬the tall forest (‫יער‬, v. 34) trees -11:1-9: New Davidic king
E -11:10: Pilgrimage of the nations
L -11:11-16: redemption of the
“remnant” (‫שאר‬, 11:16)
- linked to previous unit by fallen tree
#2
imagery (10:33-34 > 11:1)
Panel #1: Assyria’s pride and downfall

• A: 10:5-15: Assyria’s prideful speech
• 10:5, 15: The poem opens and closes referring to Assyria as Yahweh’s “rod” (‫ )מטה‬and
“staff” (‫)שׁבט‬, used to bring justice on rebellious Israel and Judah (recall the “human rod” of 2
Sam 7:14).
• The entire poem explores how Assyria “did not think of itself this way” (10:7), and
overstepped its bounds by considering its own imperial power to be divine (10:9-15), and
considering Yahweh to be a mere “idol” (10:11).
• This brings the poem into the horizon of the “day of Yahweh” from ch.2: Assyria’s “arrogance
of heart” and “splendid exaltation of eyes” (10:12) will be brought down low.
• B: 10:16-19: Assyria’s forest burned down
• C: 10:20-27: Salvation for the Remnant
• These short oracles pick up various images and themes from chs. 6-9 and develop them in
relation to the “divine plan” to judge Assyria and save a remnant in Jerusalem.
• 10:20: The “remnant” and “survivors” of Israel (➞ 4:2-3; 7:3) will no longer “rely upon”
Assyria (as Ahaz did in the Aramean-Israelite crisis in ch.7; see 2 Kgs 16:10-18)
• 10:21: A “remnant will return” ➞ she’ar-yashub interpreting the name of Isaiah’s son in 7:3.
Tim Mackie !14
• 10:22-23: Israel is a large nation (“like the sand of the sea”), but only a “remnant will
return” (developing the “holy seed” image from 6:11-13), after the “decisive destruction
overflowing with righteousness” (referring back to the Assyrian “flood” imagery from 8:7-8).
• 10:24-27: Israel is told “do not be afraid” (‫ = אל תירא‬the word to Ahaz in 7:4). Just as God
defeated Midian through Gideon and Egypt through Moses, so God will defeat Assyria and
“remove his heaviness from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck” (➞ clear echo of the
messianic deliverance in 9:2-4).
Panel #2: Assyria’s war and downfall

• A’: 10:28-32: Assyria’s war-march into the territory of Judah
• B’: 10:33-34: Assyria’s forest chopped down
• Notice the “day of the Lord” imagery from Isa 2: “and exalted [trees] of height are hewn
down, and his tall ones are brought low” (10:33 ➞ 2:12-13).
• C’: 11:1-16: New David brings salvation, new creation, and restoration of the exiles
• 11:1-9
• 11:1a “a shoot will come out of the stump…”: this recalls the “stump” metaphor from
6:12-13, out of which grew the “holy seed,” whose identity is now revealed.
• 11:1b “from the stump of Jesse…”: this is not just a new king from David’s line (not
“from the stump of David”), but rather a New David! (see the title “David” for the
messianic king in Hosea 3:4; Jer 30:9; Ezek 34:23)
• 11:2-3a: He will be empowered by the seven-fold Spirit of Yahweh (think, Moses in
Numbers 11; Joshua in Deut 34:9; and all of the judges in Judges 3-16).
• 11:4-5: He will bring true justice and righteousness on behalf of the poor (note that the
role of “judging” [‫ ]שׁפט‬and “reproving” [‫ ]יכח‬is what Yahweh did for the nations in 2:4).
• 11:6-9: The most violent creatures in creation will live in peace with the most
vulnerable, because “knowing Yahweh” will fill the earth like waters permeate and
constitute the sea.
• 11:10: A compositional hinge: the “root of Jesse” (from 11:1-9) is the “signal for the
peoples” (from 11:11-16). The nations will seek this king who will restore the divine temple
presence (= “his resting place,” see 66:1; Psalm 132:8, 14).
• 11:11-16: Yahweh will bring about a new Exodus and regather his people from among all the
nations where they are exiled (!), and there will be a “highway” (‫ )מסלה‬for the remnant of his
people to return to Zion.
• This paragraph presumes a much later vantage point than that of Isaiah in 8th century
Jerusalem, and so it plays a role similar to Deuteronomy 34 or Psalm 51:18-19. It takes
the ancient prophetic promise and revives it from an even later vantage point.
• The perspective assumes that Israelites are exiled and scattered all over the known
world (11:11), and that there is still a hope of return (11:12) that will relive the Exodus
liberation hopes.
12:1-6: A new song for a new Exodus

• 12:1-3:
Tim Mackie !15
• “you were angry and you anger turned back” (‫ שׁוב‬+ ‫)אף‬: this line adopts the key words from
the “refrain poems” of 5:25, 9:11, 16, 20; 10:4, and says that the New Exodus will end the era
of God’s righteous anger at Israel’s covenant violation.
• “and you offered me comfort” (‫)נחם‬: this is the key themeword of Isaiah 40-66.
• 12:2 “for my strength and song is Yahweh, and he has become my salvation” = Exodus 15:2
• 12:4-6
• This phrases recall the great historical hymn of Psalm 105:1 and the call for the restored Zion
to celebrate in 54:1.
Isaiah 11-12 make it clear that the entire composition of chs. 5-12 has been shaped by a post-exile
perspective. This compositional design arranged much older poetic oracles of Isaiah in order to extend
their temporal reference far beyond Isaiah’s day into the author’s own.
Ch. 7 - Ch. 8 Ch. 9 Ch. 10 Chs. 11-12 Ch. 13-14
The “plan” of The “plan of Assyria’s “plan” God’s “plan” is to

enemy nations fail: enemy nations fail: to attack Jerus. fails bring down Babylon
- Aramean-Israelite - Aramean-Israelite
Coalition Coalition
- Assyrian Invasion
- “nations” [8:8-9]
new king [14:32]
Immanuel child = Immanuel Child = Davidic new David = & signal to nations
sign king signal to nations
shatter nations who shatter rod/staff shatter rod/staff strikes the wicked shatter rod/staff of
oppress of oppressor of Assyrian Babylonian oppressor
oppressor
shalom and justice shalom and justice liberation and
comfort comfort
darkness ➞ light new exodus new exodus
new creation
Isaiah 40-66: Fall of

Babylon = Restoration
“These key repeated themes and words reflect later literary strategies woven into
the various parts of the book. They seek to coordinate various events and texts into a single plan of
God. A key turning point in this plan was the exile to Babylon and the subsequent hope of return and
restoration. This is natural since the book’s latest editors lived in the aftermath of these events, and
continued to look forward to a brighter day… From their point of view, the Aramean-Israelite crisis,
the Assyrian crisis, the Babylonian exile, and the even the return to the land all lay in the past… These
editors did not believe that the divine plan for God’s people had come to an end. Rather, a post-exilic
conviction of an ongoing future divine plan impressed itself deeply and broadly on the shape of every
section in the book.” — Jacob Stromberg, Introduction to the Study of Isaiah, 93.
Tim Mackie !16
Isaiah 1-12 depicted Yahweh’s promise to establish a messianic kingdom over all nations
(2:1-4; 9:1-7; 11:1-10) and redeem the righteous remnant from among Israel (1:27-28; 4:2-6;
11:10-16). However, this would only happen after a catastrophic judgment brought on by the Assyrian
empire (7:10-25; 8:5-8; 10:20-23). Chapters 13-27 were arranged to show that the Assyrian oppressor
would be followed by a series of even greater foes, Babylon, followed by Persia. By means of these
oracles, the promises of divine judgment and salvation are (1) extended into the future beyond Isaiah’s
own day and (2) universalized to apply to all nations who oppose God’s purposes.
All the poems in chapters 13-27 focus on the nations surrounding Israel and how the “Day of
Yahweh” is coming to bring judgment and salvation. This focus on the nations is a common feature of
prophetic books (Jeremiah 46-52; Ezekiel 25-32; Amos 1-2; Zephaniah 2).
The oracles continually shift between the political realities of the 8th century B.C. and the future of
Yahweh’s salvation and judgment. This section is structured into two large units:
Chs. 13-14: Oracles against Babylon

Chs. 15-23: Oracles against Israel’s neighboring nations
Chs. 24-27: Visions of the final judgment of all nations and the new creation
Oracles against Babylon: Isaiah 13-14

• The biblical origins of Babylon come from Genesis 3-11: Babylon is the end result of sinful
humanity linked to the line of the serpent (Gen 3:15). In Genesis 11:1-9 Babylon represents the
culmination of human arrogance and rebellion against God. Thus in the prophets the overthrow of
Babylon becomes a picture of Yahweh’s final defeat of all arrogant human kingdoms.
• The language of apocalyptic: the historical event being described is the overthrow of Babylon by
Persia (see 13:17), yet the imagery is that of a universal cataclysm (see 13:10-13).
o Prophetic-Apocalyptic language uses imagery and ideas that describe the final
consummation of all things (the Day of Yahweh) as metaphors to unpack the significance
of contemporary historical events (the day of Yahweh). [for other examples see Jeremiah
4:23-26, using the language of Gen 1:2 to describe the overthrow of Jerusalem in 586
B.C.] 3
3 “The prophets looked to the future with bifocal vision. With their near sight they foresaw imminent historical
events which would be brought about by familiar human causes: for example, disaster was near for Babylon
because Yahweh was stirring up the Medes against them (Isaiah 13:17). With their long sight they saw the “Day
of the Lord”; and it was in the nature of their experience that they were able to adjust their focus so as to impose
the one image on the other and produce a synthetic picture. However, they did not lose the ability to distinguish
between the two types of vision any more than the writer of Psalm 23 lost the ability to distinguish between
himself and a sheep.” George B. Caird, The Language and Imagery of the Bible (Westminster Press, 1980), 258.
See also the helpful, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and
Apocalyptic by D. Brent Sandy (InterVarsity Press, 2002).
Tim Mackie !17
o Thus, the “day of Yahweh” is not a straightforward prediction of a single “final judgment”:
rather it is a quality of time where God’s justice against human evil breaks into human
history in advance of the final judgment. Every time evil is judged it is a “day of Yahweh”
the prophets see an advance sign pointing forward to the “Day of Yahweh.”
o The metaphorical language of apocalyptic ‘invests historical-earthly events with heavenly

significance.’ The images connected to the “day of Yahweh” are common:
– Sounds and rumors of war (13:4); Birth pangs (13:8); Judgment of sinners and the
prideful (13:9, 11); Astronomical phenomena (13:10); Earthquakes (13:13);
Helplessness of women and children (13:16).
– Isaiah’s depictions of Babylon’s fall provided the apocalyptic imagery Jesus used to
describe the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. in Mark 13, or John’s descriptions
of Rome’s downfall in Revelation 18.
• Prophetic Use of Babylonian and Canaanite Mythology: 14:12-14: The king of Babylon is likened
to “helel ben Shakhar” who represents (1) the rise of Marduk to become the chief deity in the
Babylonian mythology of Enuma Elish, and (2) common Canaanite mythology about Baal who
attempted to overthrow Elyon, king of the gods by ascending his mountain top residence. 4 This
story became adapted in early Judaism and Christianity as a metaphorical of talking about the
power of spiritual evil in God’s good world and how it will be defeated when God’s kingdom
comes on earth as in heaven. (see Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:7-10).
• 14:24-27: The Plan of Yahweh The rise and fall of Assyria and Babylon teach a key theological
truth: Yahweh will use the rise and fall of arrogant kingdoms as an instrument to judge human
evil, until his purposes are finally accomplished. This passage offers the interpretive key for the
remaining chs. 14-27. It is by means of humanity’s evil that Yahweh will conquer evil itself among
the nations.
Assyria but is to be judged Babylon but is to be judged Persia judges… Messianic
judges… by Babylon… judges… by Persia… Kingdom
Chs.6-10 Chs. 13-14 13:17 > Chs.44-45
- Philistia: 14:28-32 [Redemptive hope in 14:32]

- Moab: chs.15-16 [Redemptive hope in 16:5]
- Damascus: ch. 17 [Redemptive hope in 17:7-8, 12-14]
- Cush and Egypt: chs. 18-20
• Cush: Judgment 18:1-6 [Redemptive hope in 18:7]
4The most thorough discussion of the Canaanite mythological background of these images is found in Hans
Wildberger, Isaiah 13-27 (Fortress Press, 1997), 62-68.
Tim Mackie !18
• Egypt: Judgment 19:1-15 [Redemptive hope in 19:16-25]

• Cush and Egypt: Judgment 20:1-6
- Babylon and Jerusalem: chs.21-22

• Babylon will be defeated by Persia (21:2, 9)
• Jerusalem will be defeated by Babylon (22:1-14)
• In both cases, the leaders throw drinking parties in naïve ignorance (21:5; 22:12-14) and enjoy
luxuries (22:15-24) while their judgment awaits (21:9; 22:14, 25)
- Tyre: ch. 23 [Redemptive hope in 23:15-18]
Tim Mackie !19
Isaiah 24-27: Literary Design & Main Themes

The Day of Yahweh brings judgment and salvation for all nations
This section is the climax of chapters 13-23 as it depicts the final day of Yahweh’s justice on all
nations. The main focus lies on the fate of the two cities described in this section:
- the lofty, fortified city which Yahweh will destroy (24.10,12; 25.2; 26.5; 27.10)
- the “strong city” (26.1) on Mt. Zion (24:23, 25:6) which Yahweh will use for the gathering and
healing of all nations (25:6-10).
It’s important that the “lofty city” is never identified, while the “strong city” is linked to a future
restored Jerusalem. In this way each becomes a symbolic representative of either the rebellious
nations of chs. 13-23 or the messianic kingdom of chs. 2, 4, 9 and 11. The mysterious identity of the
lofty city allows it to become the representative of all human pride and opposition to Yahweh, much
like Babylon in chs. 13-14. Thus these chapters offer a universal and apocalyptic perspective,
showing Yahweh’s overthrow of all human rebellion, resulting the conquering of evil itself
(depicted as a sea-monster dragon, 27:1).
• “We see in these poems [Isa 24-27] how the historical acts of divine judgment [in Isa 13-23] adumbrate a
more universal and cosmic doom… We suspect that the anonymity of the doomed city often referred to in
this section is deliberate and that it represents a kind of composite of the named cities in chs. 13-23 or a
symbolic Babylon as the embodiment of opposition and hostility to Yahweh’s purposes.” — Joseph
Blenkinsopp, Isaiah 1-39, pp. 346-347.
• “The city of Chaos is the city of idolatry, of sham gods, in contrast to Jerusalem, “the city of God”; it is
essentially, as the capital of the world-empire which is in rebellion against God, the embodiment of those
powers which claim to be somewhat, but are truly unreal.” — G.B. Gray, Isaiah 1-27 (1912), 412.
• “Isaiah 24:10 speaks of the “city of chaos.” No further identification is offered, but the imagery of the city
continues to function as a major feature of these chapters (24:10; 25:2; 26:5; 27:10). Various
identifications of the city have been proposed, including Jerusalem, Babylon, and even Samaria. Yet this
historicizing move of interpreters seeks to provide a specificity that is intentionally missing in the biblical
text. The city is the representative presentation of earthly human power, locked in deadly conflict against
the entrance of God’s righteous reign, that is constitutive of the function of these chapters.” B.S. Childs,
Isaiah, 179.
There are three kinds of poetic material interwoven in chapters 24-27:
(1) Vivid scenes of cosmic divine judgment described in apocalyptic metaphors (24.1-13, 17-23;
25.10-12; 27.1, 10-11)
(2) Poems that depict universal redemption and renewal encompassing all nations and all creation
(24.23; 25.6-10) or focusing on Israel’s restoration (27:2-6, 7-13)
(3) Prayers and psalms written from the perspective of God’s people who are living in between the
time of judgment and ultimate redemption: Songs of praise (25:1-4; 26:1-6) or prayers of petition
(26:7-21).
Tim Mackie !20
None of these poems are related in a chronological sequence, but are juxtaposed in thematic cycles
that recur over and over (like a photo mosaic), creating kaleidoscope effect of all these scenes. Thus,
these chapters act as the culmination of the plan of Yahweh from chapters 13-23. They offer us a
cosmic and apocalyptic preview of the ultimate goal of those plans: the victorious reign of Yahweh in
Zion resulting in the eradication of all evil and the renewal of all creation.
Intertextual Allusions: These chapters show a keen awareness of the rest of the book of Isaiah.
Through a network of subtle cross-references and intertextual quotations, they take up key phrases
from earlier oracles against Israel and specific nations in order to and universalize or broaden their
reference to refer to the final judgment.
• Clear cross references

• 24:3 “Yahweh has spoken this word” ➞ reference back to some earlier oracle, likely chs.
13-14 with also depicted the final battle and universal judgment.
• 24:5-6: broken eternal covenant (Gen 9:16 with Noah? or Gen 17:? with Abraham?), curse
consumes the land
• 24:6b ➞ Gen 6:23 Noah and family are the “small remnant” after judgment; also Isa16:13:
Moab’s tiny remnant after judgment is an image of the universal judgment
• 24:8 “roar of jubilation” ➞ 5:14 and/or 32:13 (see also 22:2, Jerusalem; or 23:7, Tyre): Israel’s
celebrations take place in the face of divine judgment
• 24:9 “no more drinking with songs” ➞ 21:5 and 22:13 Babylon and Jerusalem both drank in
parties as Assyrian (or Babylonian) attacks came.
• 24:13 ➞ 17:6 “like the shaking of an olive tree, like the gleaning”: the image of Syria’s
judgment and tiny remnant becomes an image of universal final judgment
• 24:15-16a ➞ many allusions to the poem of celebration in ch.12: (!nr 24.14 > 12.6 / !wag 24.14
> twag 12.5 / lhc 24.14 > 12.6 / ~v 24.15 . 12.4 / rmz 24.16 > 12.5.)
• 24:16b ➞ 21:2 the “harsh vision” of “the treacherous acting treacherously” about the fall of
Babylon is here alluded to as bringing terrible anguish to the prophet.
• 24:17 ➞ Jer 48:43-44: the fall of Moab in Jer 48 is broadened as an image of universal
catastrophe that no one can escape
• 24:19 “windows of the heavens opened” ➞ Gen 7:11 flood narrative
• 24:20 ➞ 1:8 “watchman’s hut” (only these 2x in HB). Isolated Jerusalem before Assyria
becomes an image of universal judgment
• 24:21: “hosts of the height in the height, and kings of the earth” ➞ Isa 14 where the king of
Babylon on the earth is brought down to the grave where all the other deceased kings are and
this is linked to the Babylonian mythology of divine rebellion among the gods
• 24:23 “… on Mt. Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his elders, glory” ➞ Isa 11:9-10 God’s
glory on “my holy mountain” + “elders” on the mt. seeing the divine glory in Exodus 24:9-11
• 25:1 “wonderous plans” ➞ Isa 14:24-27: ch.24 was a universal enactment of the plan for all
nations worked out in chs. 13-14.
• 25:2 “fortified city will not be rebuilt forever” ➞ Isa 13:20 and 14:22 of Babylon as an eternal
ruin
Tim Mackie !21
• 25:4-5: the praise of “nations” for the downfall of the great city: ➞ 4:2-6 the promise of
shelter for the remnant after the day of the Lord (~rz (25.4 > 4.6); lc (25.5 > 4.6); brx
(25.4-5 > 4.6); hsxm (25.4 > 4.6)
• 25:9 “we will wait for him” ➞ Isa 8:17: Isaiah becomes a paradigm of “waiting” for the signs
of divine judgment to pass so that the age of salvation can appear (picked up again in 30:18,
40:31, and 49:23)
• 25:11-12 Moab’s downfall ➞ 2:11-12 universal day of the Lord judgment.
• 26:2 ➞ Ps 118:19-20: Call to open the gates so the righteous can enter and offer praise to the
God who brings salvation.
• 26:5-6 description of Yahweh’s overcoming of the great city is linked back to ➞ 25:11-12,
which is itself drawn from ➞ 2:11-12
• 26:8 ➞ 25:9 waiting on Yahweh, both recalling 8:17 of Isaiah’s waiting
• 26:10 “they do not see the high status of Yahweh” ➞ 12:5 “for he has done things of high
status” (ge’ut)
• 26:17-18 conception and labor but no birth is a reversal of ➞ 66:7-9 where salvation comes as
a surprise birth.
• 26:19 ➞ Dan 12:1-2: the dust sleepers will wake up and shout
• 26:20 warning to go and hide until wrath passes ➞ 2:10, 19 warnings to go and hide until the
day of the Lord passes
• 26:20b ‘until wrath passes” (za’am) ➞ 10:5 (Assyria = ‘rod of my wrath’), 13:5 (nations are
‘weapons of his wrath’), Dan 11:36 “completion of wrath”
• 26:21 “the earth exposes its shed blood” ➞ Gen 4:10, Job 16:18
• The Birth of Apocalyptic:

• Two key texts in Isaiah 24-27 show that the authors/editors of the book saw a presence of evil
much darker and spiritual underneath the evil of Assyria, Babylon, and the nations:
• Isaiah 24:21-23
21 So it will happen in that day,
That the Lord will punish the host of heaven on high,

And the kings of the earth on earth.
22 They will be gathered together
Like prisoners in the dungeon,

And will be confined in prison;
And after many days they will be punished.
23 Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed,
For the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
And His glory will be before His elders.
• This passage adopts vocabulary from the poems about the king of Babylon’s self-
exaltation and downfall in Isaiah 13-14:
Isaiah 24:21-23 Isaiah 13-14
24:21 “Yahweh will judge the army (‫ צבא‬+ ‫ )פקד‬of 13:4 “Yahweh is mustering an army (‫ צבא‬+ ‫)פקד‬
the height in the height” for war”
Tim Mackie !22
24:21 “the army of the height (‫ )מרום‬in the height 14:13 “I will exalt (‫ )רום‬my throne above the stars
(‫)מרום‬ of El”
24:21 “and a gathering will be gathered (‫)אסף‬ 13:4 “the sound of the roar of kingdoms, nations
gathered (‫)אסף‬
24:21 “gathered in to a pit (‫)בור‬, and closed up in 14:15 “On the contrary, you will be brought down
a prison” to Sheol, to the deeps of the pit (‫)בור‬
24:22 “and after many days, they will be judged 13:11 “I will judge (‫ )פקד‬the world for its evil”
(‫”)פקד‬
• 24:21 “the army of the height in the height”: this is another way of referring to the “host
of heaven,” lesser gods worshipped by the nations (Deut 4:19) who are subordinate to
Yahweh in the divine council (see 2 Kings 22:19). Israel has given their allegiance to
these gods in worship (2 Kings 17:16; 21:13), which constitutes covenant violation
(Deut 17:3).
• Isaiah 27:1
In that day the Lord will punish bLeviathan the fleeing serpent,
With His fierce and great and mighty sword,
Even Leviathan the twisted serpent;
And He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea.
• This poetic line cites a famous line from the Canaanite epic poem recounting Baal’s
victory over the forces of chaos as he becomes the chief deity on Mt. Zaphon.
What foe has risen up against Baal,
what enemy has risen against the Rider of the Clouds?
Surely I destroyed Yamm, beloved of El,
surely I made an end of River, the mighty god.
Surely I lifted up the Dragon [tnn = Heb. ‫] תנין‬. . .
I destroyed the Crooked Serpent [lytn ‘qltn = Heb. ‫]לויתן עקלתון‬
the Tyrant with the seven heads.
I destroyed Ar[s], beloved of El,
I put an end to El's calf Atik.
I destroyed El's dog, the Fire,
made an end of El's daughter the Flame
For you slew Leviathan the slippery serpent.

You made an end of the twisting snake,
The tightly coiled with seven heads
— “The Baal Epic,” in Ugaritic Narrative Poetry, edited by Mark Smith.
• The “Yahweh-as-dragon-slayer” motif is referenced numerous times in the Hebrew

Bible (Job 3:8; 26:7-14; Psalm 74:13; Isaiah 51:9-11)
Tim Mackie !23
• Although the prose accounts of Creation and the Exodus in Scripture avoid the use of
this ancient mythic imagery for the sake of emphasizing the historical nature of the
events, these biblical poems make no apology for the use of this potent device.
Canaanite mythic imagery was the most impressive means in that ancient cultural
milieu whereby to display the sovereignty and transcendence of Yahweh, along with His
superiority over Baal and all other earthly contenders. Although the Hebrews did not
wholesale borrow the theology of Canaan, they did borrow its imagery— here the
imagery of Baal's enemy, Sea/Dragon/Leviathan. This Leviathan, now Yahweh's enemy,
is used to portray (a) Yahweh's victory over the power of Chaos at Creation (Psalm
74:13); (b) Yahweh's victory over the power of Egypt at the Exodus and over the power
of Babylon at the "exodus" from the Exile (Isaiah 51:9-11); and (c) ultimately, as Isaiah
27:1 illustrates, to portray Yahweh's victory over the power of evil itself at the eschaton
on the analogy of “as the beginning, so also the end." The imagery of the old creation is
used to describe the new creation. — John Day, “God and Leviathan in Isaiah 27:1,”
436.
Tim Mackie !24
Isaiah 28-35: Structure and Themes

Israel’s judgment by Assyria and the future restoration
Chapters 28-33 consist of six “woe” poems: These poems originated in the events described in chs. 7-8
and 36-37, when Assyria came to attack Israel and Judah. Isaiah accuses Israel of looking to other
nations for military aid instead of turning to Yahweh in repentance. After the judgment, however,
Isaiah still holds out the hope of redemption and restoration for Israel and the nations. Look for the
alternating themes of Israel’s apostasy, the coming judgment by Assyria and then Babylon, and future
restoration.
The references to a foreign oppressor that speaks an ‘unintelligible language’ form an inclusio around
all seven poems (28.11 and 33.19). The first is a clear reference to Assyria (see 28:15-18), and the
second is a clear reference to Babylon (see 33:1-2). This makes sense, as the reader already knows
that Assyria will fall to Babylon (chs. 13-14), and that Babylon will fall to the Persians (13.17). By this
strategy, the prophecies of restoration found in chs. 28-33, which may come various periods, are all
referred to a future beyond Isaiah’s own day. The judgment and deliverance from Assyria becomes an
type or image of the future oppression and deliverance from Babylon, which itself stands as an image
for a yet future eschatological enemy. This is also true for the depiction of the faithful remnant in these
chapters. YHWH is going to lay a ‘cornerstone’ on which he will build an entirely new people
(28.16ff.) and those who ‘have faith’ will be apart of it. The remnant are those who ‘wait’ on YHWH to
fulfill his promises (30.18-20; 33.2) on the other side of the judgment depicted in chs. 13-27. It is out
of this judgment that the faithful remnant will emerge to a restored world.
28 29a 29b 30 31 32 33
hoy! hoy! hoy! hoy! hoy! hen! hoy!
nation w/ nation w/
foreign foreign
speech speech going
coming (v.11) alliance with alliance with away (v.19)
[Assyria] Egypt (v.1-2) Egypt (v.1) [Babylon]
downfall of downfall of
Zion’s Assyrian
enemies: v.7-8 enemy v.27-33
the prophetic the prophetic the prophetic

scroll (v.11) scroll (v.18) scroll (v.8)
hope of new hope of a hope of
kgdm in Zion righteous king Yahweh as
(28:16-17) (32:1) king (33:22)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Tim Mackie !25
#1 Woe! 28:1-29
• 28:1-6: N. Israel will be taken out but a remnant will be left
• 28:7-13: Israel’s drunk leaders mock God’s word through Isaiah > God returns the favor by
sending Assyria
• 28:14-22: God will set up a new Davidic dynasty in Zion but only after a terrifying judgment
by Assyria
• 28:23-29: A farmer’s parable – Yahweh’s plan may seem “strange,” but he is doing each step
at just the right time. He will bring judgment and salvation in his own timing and manner.
#2 Woe! 29:1-14
• Israel’s leaders have called judgment upon themselves, but restoration will come afterward
• 29:1-8: Yahweh is coming to besiege Jerusalem
• 29:9-14: The words of Isaiah are like a “sealed scroll” (reference back to 8:16-17) until the
time of judgment has come.
#3 Woe! 29:15-24
• Israel’s leaders are blind and corrupt (vv. 15-16), but there are others, the poor and afflicted
who can now hear and see the written words (combined reference back to 6:9-10 and 8:16-17)
and who await the future restoration.
#4 Woe! 30:1-33
• 30:1-7: Judah has turned to Egypt for military aid instead of trusting in Yahweh (see Isaiah
36:9; 2 Kings 18:24)
• 30:8-11: Judah has rejected Isaiah’s words, which will be written down and witness against
them in a future day (see Isaiah 8:1-19; also Jeremiah 36, or Habakkuk 2:1-4; )
• 30:12-17: Judah has rejected it’s only source of real help, and so will face inevitable judgment
• 30:18-26: Yahweh has planned a great restoration and healing of Israel that will take place on
the other side of the judgment. The posture of the righteous is to ‘wait patiently’ for it (30:18;
remember Isaiah 8:16-17)
• 30:27-33: Assyria, who will be used to judge Israel, will itself be judged and defeated by
Yahweh when it comes to attack Jerusalem (see chs. 36-37).
#5 Woe! 31:1-9 Judah has turned to Egypt, but will only be delivered from Assyria by Yahweh’s
power and salvation.
#6 Behold! 32:1-20
• 32:1-8: Announcement of a righteous king who will rule with true justice (linking back to
9:1-6 and 11:1-9), in contrast to Jerusalem’s current rulers.
• 32:9-14: Announcement of doom upon the wealthy, complacent (32:9, ‫ )שׁאננות‬women of
Jerusalem…
• 32:15-20: … followed by a period of restoration and rest (32:18, ‫)שׁאננות‬, brought about by the
Spirit (see the parallel pair of oracles about the women of Zion in 3:16-41 + 4:2-6)
Tim Mackie !26
#7 Woe! 33:1-24
• This chapter forms a conclusion to chs. 28-32 by reaching all the way back to ch.1 and creating a
tapestry of cross references that summarize the message of the Isaiah scroll up to this point.
• 33:1: A woe upon the “treacherous destroyer” (‫ בגד‬+ ‫)שׁדד‬, used only elsewhere of Babylon’s
downfall to Persia in 21:2.
• 33:2: “Yahweh show us mercy, we wait for you” - summarizes the “waiting for Yahweh”
theme in 8:16; 26:8; 29:18; 30:18
• 33:5: “Yahweh is exalted, dwelling on high” - summarizes the images ch.2 (esp. 2:11)
• 33:6b: “a storehouse of salvations, wisdom, knowledge, fear of Yahweh” - reference back to
the root of Jesse’s spirit-endowed powers in 11:2-3.
• 33:8b-9a: “he nullifies the covenant…the land languishes, it mourns; Lebanon is ashamed” -
collage of phrases from the judgment scene in 24:4, 5, 23.
• 33:19: Reference back to the “foreign lips” and “strange tongue” of 28:11. There it was a
foreign enemy coming; here it’s a foreign invader being repelled.
Isaiah chs. 34-35: A Conclusion to chs. 1-33 and preview of chs. 40-66
o Chapter 34: Yahweh is bringing a universal judgment on the wicked among all nations (all the
imagery is taken up from chs. 13-27)
• 34:4 “the armies of heaven will rot” ➞ 24:21-23: the earthly national powers correspond to
heavenly powers and the divine judgment on one corresponds to judgment on the other.
• 34:5 “Edom” (‫ )אֶד ֹם‬as a symbol for “humanity” (‫ )אָדָ ם‬is a common theme in later OT prophetic
books (Obadiah, Ezekiel 35)
• 34:8 “a day of vengeance (‫)נקם‬, a year of recompense (‫ ➞ ”)שׁלומים‬61:2 and 63:4
• 34:11-15 animals inhabiting the wasteland of Edom ➞ animals inhabiting the wasteland of
Babylon in 13:19-22.
• “The extended symbol of desolation is that of the land being inhabited only by repulsive
creatures: jackals and hyenas, the arrow-snake and kites gather. The closest parallel to these
particular birds and beasts is found in 13:19-22, which describes the desolation wrought on
Babylon by the Medes. Not only does the list overlap in large measure, but the same imagery of
Sodom and Gomorrah, barren for all generations, recurs. The fact that the same imagery
regarding Babylon is now extended to Edom is a further warrant for the representative role that
Edom has assumed in God’s final destruction of the enemy.” — Brevard Childs, Isaiah, 257.
• 34:16 “seek from the scroll of Yahweh and read” ➞ a reference back to the animal list in
13:19-22
• 34:17b = 13:20: the fate of “all nations/Edom” is identical to the fate of Babylon.
o Chapter 35: After the judgment… The imagery is taken from chs. 1-32 and previews the images of
salvation from chs. 40-66.
– A garden will grow in the wilderness: vv.1-2, 7 [➞ 33:9 and 66:13]
– People will see the glory of Yahweh: v. 2b [➞ 40:5, 66:18]
– Yahweh will return to Zion to judge and save: v. 4 [➞ 34:8, 40:10, and 59:15-18]
– Israel’s hardening from ch.6 will be reversed: vv.5-6 [6:9-10, 29:19; 32:3-4]
– There will be a “highway” for the “holy” to return to the land: vv.8-10 (the language is
connected to 6:13, 11:16, and looks forward to 51:10-11 and 62:10)
Tim Mackie !27
Isaiah 36-39: Structure and Themes
God delivers Zion from Assyria because of Hezekiah’s faithful response (chs. 36-37). Hezekiah is
delivered from death (ch. 38). But then Hezekiah fails, and his house is consigned to Babylonian exile
(ch. 39).
Chs. 36-37: Isaiah’s predictions of foreign invasion from chs. 1-12 and 28-33 are fulfilled. Assyria
invades and is repelled by Hezekiah’s radical faith. The story is told in two parallel panels:
Panel 1 — 36:1-37:7 Panel 2 — 37:8-38

A - 36:1-3 Assyria invades Judah sends A’ - 37:8-9 Assyria invades and sends Rabshakeh
Rabshakeh to Jerusalem to Jerusalem
• 36:2 “and the king sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to • 37:8-9 “…the king of Assyria…set out from Lachish…
Jerusalem, to the king Hezekiah” and he sent messengers to Hezekiah”
B - 36:4-20 Rabshakeh’s speech to Hezekiah’s B’ - 37:10-13 Rabshakeh’s messengers to
men [long speech about Assyrian power] Hezekiah [short speech about Assyrian power]
• 36:15 “don’t let Hezekiah deceive you (‫…)נשׁא‬making • 37:10 “don’t let your god deceive you (‫)נשׁא‬, the one you
you trust (‫ )בטח‬in Yahweh saying…”this city won’t be trust (‫)בטח‬, saying “Jerusalem won’t be given into the
given into the hand of the king of Assyria” hand of the king of Assyria”
• 36:18 “have any of the gods of the nations delivered his • 37:12 “have any of the gods of the nations delivered
land from the king of Assyria… where are the gods of them? Where is the king of Hamath and the king of
Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Arpad and the king of the city of Sepharvaim”
Sepharvaim?”
C - 36:21-37:4 Hezekiah’s response: Pray in the C’ - 37:14-20: Hezekiah’s response: Prayer in the
temple and send for the prophet Isaiah temple and sends for the prophet Isaiah
• 37:1 “when Hezekiah heard… he went to the house of • 37:14 “Hezekiah took the letters from the messengers…
Yahweh” and went to the house of Yahweh”
• 37:4 “perhaps Yahweh will hear the words of • 37:15, 17 “and Hezekiah prayed (‫ )יתפלל‬to Yahweh…
Rabshakeh… that mock (‫ )חרף‬the living God… So lift ‘Listen to all the words of Sennacharib that he sent to
up a prayer (‫ )תפלה‬on behalf of this leftover remnant mock (‫ )חרף‬the living God”
(‫”)שׁארית‬
D - 37:5-7 Isaiah’s response: Divine promise of D’ - 37:21-35: Isaiah’s response: Divine promise
salvation of salvation [long speech about Yahweh’s power]
• 37:6 “Don’t be afraid…the young men of the king of • 37:23 “Whom have you mocked (‫ )חרף‬and ridiculed
Assyria ridicule (‫ )גדף‬me…he will return (‫ )שׁוב‬to his (‫)גדף‬
land, and I will make him fall by the sword (‫ )בחרב‬in his • 37:29 “I will make him return (‫ )שׁוב‬by the path on
land” which he came”
• 37:32 “For from Jerusalem a remnant (‫ )שׁארית‬will go
out, and survivors (‫ )פליטה‬from Mt. Zion”
Conclusion: 37:36-38: Jerusalem is delivered and Sennacharib murdered
• 37:36-37: Angel of the Lord strikes 185,000 Assyrian soldiers
• 37:38: King of Assyria murdered “by the sword” (‫ )בחרב‬in the temple of Nisrok his god
Tim Mackie !28
Within this narrative framework, there is a large-scale, intentional contrast between chapters 7’s
portrait of Ahaz and chs. 36-37’s Hezekiah’s response to the different invasions:
Ahaz in Isaiah chs. 7-8 Hezekiah in chs. 36-37
Foreign king(s) invades Jerusalem/ Rezin king (‫ )מלך‬of Aram + Pekah Sennacharib king (‫ )מלך‬of Assyria
Judah king (‫ )מלך‬Israel “go up” (‫ )עלה‬to “goes up” (‫ )עלה‬to Judah and sends to
attack Jerusalem and replace the Jerusalem to replace Davidic king
Davidic king [7:1-2] [36:1-2]
Key encounter at the same location in Isaiah and She’ar-Yashub (“remnant Assyrian officials meets Hezekiah’s
Jerusalem will return”) meet Ahaz “by the men “by the conduit of the upper pool
conduit of the upper pool on the on the highway to the washman’s
highway to the washman’s field” [7:3] field” (36:3)
Davidic king is greatly distressed at When it was reported (‫ )נגד‬to the “and they reported (‫ )נגד‬to Hezekiah
the report house of David, saying, “The the words of Rabshakeh, and when
Arameans have camped in Ephraim,” king Hezekiah heard it he tore his
his heart and the hearts of his people clothes, and covered himself with
shook as the trees of the forest shake sackcloth, and went into the house of
with the wind. [7:2] the Lord.” [36:22-37:1]
Isaiah gives assurance to Davidic king “Watch yourself, and be quiet, and do “Do not be afraid (‫ )אל תירא‬of the
not be afraid” (‫[ )אל תירא‬7:4] words that you have heard” [37:6]
Isaiah offers a “sign” (‫ )אות‬to confirm “ask for yourself a sign” [7:11] “and this will be a sign for
the promise of divine aid “the Lord will give you a sign” [7:14] you” [37:30]
The Davidic kings respond in opposite Ahaz: “I will not ask, nor will I test Hezekiah: “may Yahweh hear the
ways Yahweh” [7:12, cf. 1 Kings 16:7-18] words of Rabshakeh…that mock the
living God, and may he rebuke these
words… and accept a prayer on behalf
of this remnant.” [37:4]
The Davidic king and Jerusalem are “The Lord will bring on you, on your “Days (‫ )ימים‬are coming (‫ )בוא‬when
spared, only to discover a worse people, and on your father’s house, everything in your house that your
invasion in the future. days (‫ )ימים‬that have not come (‫)בוא‬ fathers stored up… will be carried to
since the day that Ephraim separated Babylon, and from among your
from Judah: the king of sons…they will be taken to become
Assyria.” [7:17] eunuchs in the palace of the king of
Babylon.” [39:6-7]
Promise of a remnant after the “She’ar-Yahsub” = A remnant (‫)שׁאר‬ “from Jerusalem a remnant (‫)שׁארית‬
invasion will return (7:3) will go out, and survivors from Mt.
Zion” [37:32]
Divine motivation “The zeal of Yahweh of Hosts will “The zeal of Yahweh of Hosts will
accomplish this” [9:6] accomplish this” [37:32]
Key emphases in this contrast:

• The Portrait of Ahaz in chs. 7-8
• He displayed a lack of faith in Yahweh (“if you don’t have firm faith [‫]תאמינו‬, you won’t
be firmly established [‫]תאמנו‬,” 7:9), and so he hired the king of Assyria to fight of his
attackers instead of trusting in Yahweh’s word (see 1 Kings 16:7-18).
• He was informed by Isaiah that (1) his Assyrian alliance would backfire and result in
Assyrian invasion (7:15-22, 8:1-8), and (2) he would be replaced by “Immanuel,” a
faithful king who would repel the foreign invader (see 8:9-10, 9:1-6)
Tim Mackie !29
• The Portrait of Hezekiah in chs. 36-37

• Hezekiah is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s promises to Ahaz: He is the faithful king who
repels the Assyrian invader by trusting Yahweh and battling his enemies with prayer.
• Hezekiah is Immanuel! At least for two chapters…
• Readers of Isaiah know from chs.13-27 that the attack by Assyria was not the ultimate
fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies of judgment. Babylon will come and do much worse to
Judah by destroying Jerusalem and exiling the people to Babylon, and Persia will come after
that…
• Hezekiah’s humble response and patient prayer and the salvation of Jerusalem become a
narrative type for later generations to imitate to wait in patient prayer for the coming of the
messianic restoration on the other side of exile.
• The links between Isaiah 7-9 and Hezekiah are part of a larger strategy that presents the
positive portrait of Hezekiah in chs. 36–38 as a type of the future fulfillment of 9:1–6, but not
the fulfillment itself. This would explain why the Hezekiah narrative (in cooperation with 9:3;
10:20–27; 14:24–27) initially leads the reader to think that Hezekiah was the Immanuel child
(chs. 36–38), only then to tell the reader that he was not in ch. 39. This “false-lead” is not a
bait-and-switch, however, because the point is to show that ultimate fulfillment of that royal
oracle will look like the portrait of Hezekiah’s piety in those narratives. His humility and
faithfulness is an illustration of how one activates God’s commitment to David in a time of
crisis. But ch. 39 reminds the reader that historical Hezekiah was not the fulfillment, since in
the end he brought down on the kingdom a worse fate than did his father Ahaz. In this way, the
idealized portrait of Hezekiah in chs. 36–38 has been given a prospective function in relation
to that royal oracle of ch.9. The narrative strategy seems specifically designed to remind the
reader that any true fulfillment of 9:6 would go beyond a mere repetition of the days of
Hezekiah. This better future finds its prophetic expression in Isa 9:1–6 and its figural
presentation in Isa 36-38. These chapters idealize Hezekiah to present him to the reader as a
type of things to come. — Jacob Stromberg, “Figural History in the Book of Isaiah: Hezekiah’s
Confrontation with Assyria and its Prospective Significance.”
Ch. 38: Hezekiah’s sickness and recovery

• 38:1 “in those days” and 38:6 make clear that this narrative transports us back in time right before
the Assyrian invasion. Hezekiah’s story of personal deliverance from death becomes a parallel to
Jerusalem’s deliverance from Assyria.
• He “prays to Yahweh” (38:2) just as he does in the invasion narrative (37:15) and appeals to the fact
that the has shown faithfulness (38:3 “I have walked before you in faithfulness”), unlike Ahaz (7:9
“if you do not show faith…”).
Hezekiah’s faith in the invasion Hezekiah’s faith when sick
“he prayed to Yahweh” [37:15] “he prayed to Yahweh” [38:2]
Tim Mackie !30
“and I will defend (‫ )גנותי‬this city, to save it “thus says the God of your father David, I have
(‫)להושׁיעה‬, on my own account and on account of heard your prayer…and I will defend (‫ )גנותי‬this
David my servant” [37:35] city” [38:5-6]
“Yahweh, to save me (‫[ ”)להושׁיעני‬38:20
“and this will be a sign (‫ )אות‬for you” [37:30] “and this will be a sign (‫ )אות‬for you” [38:7]
• Hezekiah’s poem (unique to the Isaiah version) retells the story of his sickness with poetic images
from chs. 1-35 that describe Israel’s oppression under Assyria. This is a literary strategy to create a
parallel between Yahweh’s deliverance of Zion from Assyria and the deliverance of the Davidic king
from death itself.
Hezekiah’s Poem Israel under Assyrian Oppression
38:10 “I have gone to the gates of the grave (‫”)שׁאול‬ 5:14 “the grave (‫ )שׁאול‬opens its throat and gapes its
mouth”
38:11 “my tent is removed (‫ )גלה‬from me” 24:11 “all rejoicing is removed (‫”)גלה‬
38:12 “he makes and end of me” (‫)בצע‬ 10:12 “he makes and end (‫ )בצע‬of his work on Mt.
Zion”
38:14a “like a swift or a thrush I twitter” (‫)צפף‬ 29:4 “from the dust your voice will twitter” (‫)צפף‬
38:14b “like a dove, I moan” (‫)הגה‬ 33:18 “your heart will moan with terror” (‫)הגה‬
38:14c “my eyes droop low (‫ )דלל‬from on high” 17:4 “in that day the glory of Jacob will droop
low” (‫)דלל‬
• Key text: 38:21-22: The author has relocated these verses out of chronological order along with
several other adaptations and additions to the original story. The purpose seems to be portray
Hezekiah’s healing as an image of the future restoration from the exile. His request for a sign has
been turned into an open-ended question which leaves the fulfillment of the promise in the forefront
of the reader’s mind.
Tim Mackie !31
2 Kings 20:3-11 Isaiah 38:3-22

3 “Remember now, O Lord, I beseech You, how I have “Remember now, O Lord, I beseech You, how I have
walked before You in truth and with a whole heart and walked before You in truth and with a whole heart, and
have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah
wept bitterly. wept bitterly.
4 Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the 4 Then the
word of the Lord came to him, saying, word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying,
5“Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, 5 “Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the
‘Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David, “I God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I
have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; have seen your tears;
behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go
up to the house of the Lord.
6 “I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 “I will
deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of
Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake Assyria; and I will defend this city.” ’
and for My servant David’s sake.”
7 Then Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.” And they took
and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. 8And

Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that
the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up to the
house of the Lord the third day?”
9 Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the 7 “This shall be the sign to you from the
Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that He has Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that He has
spoken: spoken:
shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten 8 “Behold, I will cause the shadow on the stairway,
steps?” which has gone down with the sun on the stairway of
Ahaz, to go back ten steps.”
10 SoHezekiah answered, “It is easy for the
shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow
turn backward ten steps.”
11 Isaiah the prophet cried to the Lord, and He
brought the shadow on the stairway back ten steps by So the sun’s shadow went back ten steps on the
which it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz. stairway on which it had gone down.
Notes: 9 A composition of Hezekiah king of Judah after his
illness and recovery:

- 2 Kgs 20 has the sequence: Promise of healing and 38:10-18: Hezekiah’s Poem
deliverance > healing account > request for a sign > 19-20 A father tells his sons about Your faithfulness.
offering of a sign > fulfillment of the sign. “The Lord will surely save me;
So we will play my songs on stringed instruments
All days of our life at the house of the Lord.”
- Isa 38 has the sequence: promise of deliverance> 21 Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs
offering of a sign > fulfillment of the sign > POEM > and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” 22And
healing account > request for a new sign that remains Hezekiah said “What is the sign
unanswered… that I shall go up to
the house of the Lord?”
The Point: Isa 38:21-22 have been dislocated from their original context by the insertion of
Hezekiah’s poem which ends at a climactic statement of he and his sons will worship in the house of
the Lord (38:20). The newly relocated material in 38:21-22 constitutes a new request for a sign that
will provide hope that he will go up and worship in the temple.
• “Since the request for a sign remains unanswered, the narrative remains open-ended, allowing it to
function well in the perspective of the exile with its hoped for return to and ascent to a refurbished
temple.” — Willem Beuken, Isaiah 28-39, 386.
Tim Mackie !32
• The psalm in Isaiah 38 is not simply an appropriately worded psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance
in a time of distress, here seen as appropriate to the recovery of a king. It is a comment on the larger
significance of that recovery in the context of the whole book of Isaiah… It is expressed in terms of
restoration to life, being brought back from the pit, metaphors that we find elsewhere employed to
describe oppression and exile… The Psalm’s climax is reached at a point of praise and worship.
Such a climax provides a pointer to that longed-for restoration of the temple and its worship which
is seen as the sequel to the disaster of exile… The illness of Hezekiah and the death sentence upon
him thus become an image of judgment and exile, and in that measure they run parallel to the theme
of judgment which is found in the story that follows about the Babylonian ambassadors. But the
theme of restored life which follows Hezekiah’s appeal to God is a pointer to the possibility of future
restoration for the exiled community.” — Peter Ackroyd, “An Interpretation of the Babylonian Exile:
A Study of 2 Kings 20 and Isaiah 38-39.”
• “Whereas in the Kings account the focus of attention is entirely on the individual Hezekiah, in Isaiah
his restoration is seen typologically as adumbrating the restoration of the community, and of the
royal line in particular, characterized by worship in the house of the Lord.” Hugh Williamson,
“Hezekiah and the Temple.”
• Since Hezekiah’s psalm now ends with the hope that Hezekiah will be joined by the community in
praise at the “house of the Lord,” it is hardly a coincidence that the material in 38:21-22 has been
relocated just after this psalm. It has been edited so that the “sign” (‫ )אות‬he requests now pertains
only to his return to the “house of the Lord.” This return is now seen as adumbrating the hope of the
post-exilic community, as can be seen from the only other occurrences of the word “sign” in Isaiah
40-66. In both 56:5 (which is developing 55:13) and 66:19-20, a “sign” is connected with the return
from exile and restoration of the community to temple worship… The move opens up the sign to
point far beyond Hezekiah’s day to that post-exilic restoration envisioned in Isaiah 56-66. — Jacob
Stromberg, Isaiah after Exile, 221-222.
Tim Mackie !33
– 39: Hezekiah’s foolish actions result in judgment: Judah will be conquered by exiled to Babylon.
• Hezekiah received “letters” (‫ )ספרים‬from Babylon (39:1), just as he did from Assyria (37:14).
But instead of taking the letters “to the house of Yahweh” (as he did with Assyria’s, see
37:14), he takes the Babylonian ambassadors to “the house of his treasures..all the house of
his armory…his house and all his kingdom” (39:2-3).
• This faithlessness results in the announcement of “coming days” (= 7:17) when the goods of
Hezekiah’s “house” and his sons (➞ 38:19-20) will be taken to Babylon.
• 39:8: Hezekiah is grateful that at least “there will be peace (‫ )שׁלום‬and truth (‫ )אמת‬in my days.”
This is a deliberate reference and contrast with the Immanuel child’s reign in 9:6, which will
bring “peace without end (‫)ולשׁלום אין קץ‬.”
– Big Questions as ch.39 ends:

o Isaiah 1:1 said Isaiah’s ministry ended with Hezekiah: If chs. 38-39 point to the end of
Hezekiah’s life, what is the implication about the end of Isaiah’s ministry and the authorship of
chs. 40-66? (remember 8:16-17)
o What about God’s promises to save Israel and all nations through the messiah and Zion’s
restoration? (Isaiah 2, 4, 9, 11)
o What role do Babylon and Persia play in the unfolding of Yahweh’s plans for the nations (chs.
13-14)?
Tim Mackie !34
Main Themes in Isaiah 40–48

Israel called out from the nations
Yahweh is restoring Israel back to Jerusalem > The Babylonian exile is over!
Key Text: Isaiah 40 – God Commissions a new word of restoration to follow the word of judgment
that was issued in Isaiah ch. 6.
— Assumed background: Yahweh’s divine throne-room (see Ps 89:5-8; 1 Kings 22:19-23;
Zechariah 1:7-17; Job 1-2; Psalm 89: ) that corresponds to Isaiah 6.
The various voices of Isaiah 40:1-8

Part 1: 40.1-5
Narrator: says your God (1b)
God: ‘y’all comfort, y’all comfort my people y’all speak…y’all cry out…’
God calls out in plural imperatives to a plural heavenly audience (1-2).
Narrator: “a voice cries out:”
The voice: ‘y’all prepare a way in the wilderness…y’all make straight’
An attendant of the divine council delivers his own charge about YHWH to the audience (3-5).
Part 2: 40.6-8
Narrator: A voice says, ‘and one says’
God: ‘cry out’ (6a)
The called one’s objection: ‘what shall I cry out? All flesh is grass, and all his endurance is like
the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because YHWH’s ruah
blows on it.’ (6b-7b)
Comment: Surely the grass is the people. (7c)
The response: The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of YHWH stands forever. (8)
An individual is addressed and commanded (single imperative) to ‘Cry out!’ The individual makes an
objection, which is clarified by an editorial comment. Then the response to the objector is given.
Isaiah 40 as a re-commissioning of Isaiah’s word

Isaiah 6 Isaiah 40
A heavenly voice 6:3 “and each called to another (‫”)וקרא‬ 40:1 “‘comfort my people,’ says (‫ )יאמר‬your God
first calls out 6:4 “the voice of the one calling (‫”)קול קורא‬ 40:3 “a voice calling out (‫’)קול קורא‬
A heavenly voice 6:8a “I heard the voice (‫ )קול‬of the Lord 40:6a “a voice (‫ )קול‬speaks (‫)אֹמֵר‬
again calls out speaking (‫”)אֹמֵר‬
The voice addresses 6:8b “whom will I send, and who will go 40:6b “call out”
a prophet for us?”
A prophet responds 6:8c “and I said (‫)וָאֹמַר‬, ‘Here I am, send 40:6c “and I said (‫)וָאוֹמַר‬, “what will I cry out?”
me”
God’s universal 6:3 “Holy, holy, holy, the fullness of of all 40:5 “the glory (‫ )כבוד‬of Yahweh will be
glory the land (‫ )כל הארץ‬is his glory (‫”)כבוד‬ revealed, and all flesh (‫ )כל בשר‬will see it.”
Sin is done away 6:6-7 “your iniquity (‫ )עון‬is removed, and 40:2 “your iniquity (‫ )עון‬is satisfactorily dealt
with your sin (‫ )חטאה‬atoned for” with, for she has received from the Yahweh’s
hand double for her sins (‫)חטאה‬
“The reason for the lack of explicit clarification of the heavenly court scene and the obscure voices in 40.1-11 is
that the backdrop of Isaiah 6 has been presupposed… Viewed in this light the objection of vv.6b-7 takes on new
specific import…as an exegetical reflection on certain themes found throughout chs.1-39… The objector
acknowledges that the plan of old has come to pass…The world has become the wilderness spoken of long ago
(13.5) at the hands of Babylon…But the ‘new things’ are about to take place (40.9-11). The prologue of 40.1-11
signals that the old age is passing away and a new day is dawning. The objecting voice is the last gasp from the
‘former days,’ although others like him must be addressed and strengthened in chs. 40-55. It is time for the
Tim Mackie !35
herald of good news to replace the voices of past guilt and former judgment” — Christopher Seitz, ‘The Divine
Council,’ 242-43.
“In a conscious dependence on chapter 6, chapter 40 does not offer a new independent call narrative, but
rather provides a reapplication of Isaiah’s call. The commission of Isaiah of Jerusalem has been fulfilled by the
Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 587… However, the point of this prologue is the announcement of a
divine decision that now reverses the commission of judgment assigned to Isaiah… [It] signals that the old age
is passing away and a new day is dawning. Historical Isaiah is now a figure of the past, but his prophetic word,
which is God’s own word, is extended into the future and endures forever. God is now speaking again from the
divine council as he did formerly in Isaiah’s day, commissioning the heralds of good news” — Brevard Childs,
Isaiah, 295-296.
“In chs. 1-39 one finds several titles and small narratives arranged chronologically in a sequence leading from
the time of Uzziah’s death (6:1), to the time of his son Ahaz (ch. 7), and ultimately to Hezekiah’s confrontation
with the Assyrians. This chronographic material explicitly relates the first 39 chapters to the prophet Isaiah. At
the very beginning of this sequence of chronological references is the book’s title in 1:1. Since this title defines
the entire historical scope of the prophet’s ministry as spanning from the years of Uzziah to Hezekiah, it hardly
seems like a coincidence that immediately after chs. 36-39—the narratives concerning Hezekiah—all such
references to Isaiah disappear. There is no attempt to locate the “voices” of chs. 40-66 within the period of
Isaiah’s history, and there are no titles or narratives of this sort in chs. 40-66. The prophet as himself is not
present in person within the self-presentation of chs. 40-66. Rather, Isaiah’s presence is in his word, now passed
to a new generation through prophetic disciples.” — Jacob Stromberg, “Figural History in the Book of Isaiah.”
Flow of thought in Isaiah 40:1-8

• 40:1-2: God commissions the divine council to send messengers (i.e. prophets) of
forgiveness and comfort to Zion
• 40:3-5: A prophetic messenger is sent with his announcement: Yahweh is creating a path
back to Zion to set up his kingdom for all nations (cf. Isaiah 2:1-4; 11:1-10)
• 40:6-8: A prophetic messenger is summoned (v. 6a) doubts his message (6b-7a), and is
reaffirmed that the word of God isn’t subject to human weakness (v. 7b).
• 40:9-11: A prophetic messenger is commissioned to announce the good news of Yahweh’s
return to Zion as king. He will come to bring justice and care for the helpless.
• 40:9 “herald of Zion… herald of Jerusalem” (Heb. construct phrase). This can be
translated two ways:
• (1) Apposition: “herald, Zion” = the new Jerusalem is the herald (so ESV, NASB,
NRSV)
• (2) Objective: “herald to Zion” = Zion receives the good news from those who are
commissioned in 40:1-8 (so NIV, Septuagint [ὁ εὐαγγελιζόµενος is masculine
sg.], Targum [ ‫“ = נְ ִביַי ָא דִ מ ַבס ְִרין ְלצִי ֹון‬prophets who offer good news to Zion”]).
Key Transition: Isaiah 40:12-31:

• The hinge statement: 40:27: Israel is questioning Yahweh’s justice and promises (v.27),
Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God”?
• The parallel words “way” and “justice/right” (‫ )משׁפט‬are paired elsewhere in Jer 12:1; Ps
37:5-6; Prov 2:8. “Way” speaks of God’s providential ordering of the course of life, while
Tim Mackie !36
“justice” refers to vindication for inequities done to Israel. This is a claim that the exile
demonstrates divine neglect (see also 49:14 for a development of this idea).
• 40:31 “those who wait (‫ )קוה‬on Yahweh…” This was Isaiah’s own posture before the word of
God’s promise (see 8:17), which becomes a model for those waiting for the fulfillment of the
same (see 25:9; 26:8; 33:2).
Isaiah 41-48: Yahweh’s Response to Israel’s doubts: The Great Trial

• The Charge: the exile happened because Yahweh neglected Israel (40:27)
• The prophet creates a “literary courtroom” to demonstrate this is not the case:
• The Counter-Claim: Yahweh alone brought about the exile for Israel’s disobedience
• Exhibit A: Yahweh has raised up Cyrus to fulfill his promise to (1) bring down Babylon,
(2) rebuild Jerusalem, and (3) restore the exiles to their homeland.
• The Conclusion: Yahweh alone is creator and king of history, in contrast to the idols of
the nations, which are impotent.
• The literary courtroom is designed with three larger movements, each making the case in
different ways:
Movement 1: 41:1-42:17 - God’s redeemed servant should be a witness to the nations

The Trial Yahweh’s purpose for his Salvation = New Exodus
“servant”
A - 41:1-7 B - 41:8-16 C - 41:17-20
- Yahweh summons a trial (v.1) - Assurance of Israel’s - The poor and oppressed are
- Yahweh has raised up Cyrus vindication before enemies (vv. provided water in the desert
(vv. 2-5, 41:2 ,‫עור‬/‫)מזרח‬ 8-13, 41:9-10 ‫בחר‬/‫)תמך‬ (41:18b ‫)אגם‬
- He knows beginning/end (vv. - Promise of endurance beyond
4-5, ‫אחרון‬/‫)ראשון‬ the mountains (vv. 14-16)
- Idol polemic (vv. 6-7)
A’ - 41:21-29 B’ - 42:1-9 C’ - 42:10-17
- Yahweh summons a trial (v.21) - New mission of the vindicated - A new song (see Exod 15:1)
- Idol polemic (41:21-24, 26-28) servant (42:1 ‫בחר‬/‫ )תמך‬among - Yahweh will dry up the waters
- Yahweh knows beginning to the nations: to bring divine to lead the blind to freedom (vv.
end (v. 22, ‫אחרית‬/‫)ראשון‬ justice (vv. 1-4) 14-16, 42:15 ‫)אגם‬
- Yahweh has raised up Cyrus - This mission announced before
(41:25, ‫עור‬/‫)מזרח‬ hand - 42:17: Final idol polemic
Key Transition: 41:27-28 leading to 42:1-9

Isaiah 41:27-28
• 41:27 “at first to Zion, ‘Behold, here they are!’ and I gave a good news herald to Jerusalem”
• A reference back to Isaiah 40:1-11: Yahweh has raised up a herald for Zion to announce what
he planned long ago: to bring comfort and restoration to Zion.
• 41:28: None of the idol gods could have “planned” (‫ )יעץ‬this. And so, the only reasonable response
for Israel is to take up the role of God’s servant who bears witness to all of the nations!
Tim Mackie !37
Isaiah 42:1-9: The servant’s commission to the nations, but the role here described is an ideal one, not
true of Israel presently. This raises the question: if Israel as a nation is not qualified for this role, then
who is?
• Notice the language connections to the scene of Isaiah 2 and the royal figure of Isaiah 11 (see
Matthew 12:15-21)
• 42:6 “a covenant for the people and a light to the nations” – the servant will fulfill the covenants: he
will fulfill the covenant with Israel by obeying the Torah (Exodus 19) and bringing its light to all the
nations (Genesis 12)
• 42:7 “open blind eyes”: the servant will reverse Israel’s hardening from Isaiah 6:10
• “It is because Israel cannot fulfill the servant role which is her responsibility, that the identity of the
servant which was explicit in ch. 41 is later open-ended in ch. 42. The picture of the servant in
42:1-9 has become a role seeking someone to fulfill it” – John Goldingay, “The Arrangement of
Isaiah 41-45,” p.292.
Movement 2: 42:18-45:13
Sequence 1: 42:18-43:21 Sequence 2: 43:22-45:13
A 42:18-25 A’ 43:22-28
Israel is too unresponsive to be Yahweh’s Israel is too unresponsive to be Yahweh’s
servant servant
• Israel is blind and deaf (see 6:10), and • Israel has not offered proper worship to
Trial with so has been plundered and trapped Yahweh (43:22-4a), but has burdened
Israel • It’s a result of Israel’s sins and refusal Yahweh with their sins (‫ חטאה‬42:24b)
to listen to the Torah (42:24 ‫)חטאה‬ • Conclusion: Israel’s sins, and the sin of
• Conclusion: Yahweh handed Israel their ancestors (42:26-27) resulted in
over to oppression (42:25) oppression and defeat (42:28)
B 43:1-7 B’ 44:1-5
• 43:1 “and now” (‫ )ועתה‬+ Jacob/Israel • 44:1-2 “and now” (‫ )ועתה‬+ Jacob/Israel
Yahweh is + “don’t be afraid” (‫)אל תירא‬ + “don’t be afraid” (‫)אל תירא‬
Creator of • 43:5 Yahweh will gather the • 44:3 God will pour out his spirit on the
Israel + “seed” (‫ )זרע‬of Israel “seed” (‫ )זרע‬of Israel
salvation • 43:1, 7 Yahweh calls Israel by name • 44:5 Yahweh recreates a people “called
oracle (43:1a ‫)קרא בשם‬, they belong to him by name” (‫)קרא בשם‬, who say “I
(43:1b “you belong to me” ‫ ;)לי אתה‬he belong to Yahweh” (‫)ליהוה אני‬
creates a people “called by his
name” (43:7 ‫)קרא בשם‬
C 43:8-13 C’ 44:6-22
Yahweh is the only true God among the Yahweh is the only true God among the
idols idols
Trial with the • Israel should become God’s witnesses • 43:8 Israel should be God’s witness
nations (43:9-10, 12, ‫)אתם עדי‬, that there is “no (‫)אתם עדי‬, that there “is no God beside
God beside me” (43:11 ‫)אין מבלעדי‬ me” (‫)מבלעדי אין‬
• Idol polemic (43:10b-13) • Idol polemic, they are futile creations
(43:9-20)
Tim Mackie !38
D 43:14-21 D’ 44:23-45:13
• 43:14 Yahweh is Israel’s • Yahweh has “redeemed” (‫גאל‬, 44:22,
“redeemer” (‫)גאל‬ 24) Israel from the consequences of
Yahweh • He has orchestrated the fall of their sins
fulfills his Babylon (43:14, named for the 1st • He has orchestrated the rise of Cyrus
purpose time) as a new Exodus defeat of to rebuild Jerusalem (44:28, named
among the “Egypt” that will offer new provision for the 1st time)
nations in the wilderness • The rise of Cyrus fulfills God’s
purposes to rebuild Jerusalem and
restore the exiles (44:26; 45:13), and
demonstrates that Yahweh alone is the
true God (45:4-7)
Movement 3: 45:14-47:15 — Yahweh is the only king of history and savior of Israel
45:14-17 47:1-15
The nations acknowledge Israel’s God Babylon is brought down for it’s idolatry
as the only one
45:14: “God is among you, and there is no A A’ 47:8 “She said in her heart, ‘I am, and there is
and arrogance
other, no gods” (‫)אל ואין עוד אפס אלהים‬ no other’” (‫)אני ואפסי עוד‬
45:13: Egypt’s labor (‫ )יגע‬and profit (‫ )סחר‬is 47:12, 14-15: Babylon’s labor (‫ )יגע‬and profit
brought to exalted Israel (‫ )סחר‬cannot help her
45:15: God alone is savior (‫)מושיע‬ 47:15 There is no savior (‫)מושיע‬
45:17 Israel is saved by Yahweh (‫)ישע‬ 47:13 Let sorcery save Babylon (‫)ישע‬
45:18-25 46:8-11 + 12-13
Yahweh’s announcement of Cyrus Yahweh’s announcement of Cyrus
beforehand shows he is the true God beforehand shows he is the true God
45:18 “I am Yahweh and there is no
other” (‫)אני יהוה ואין עוד‬
B B’ 46:9 “I am God and there is no other” (‫אנוכי‬
‫)אל ואין עוד‬
45:21 Yahweh announced (‫ )הגיד‬this from of 46:10 Yahweh announced (‫ )הגיד‬this from of
old (‫)מקדם‬ old (‫)מקדם‬
C
45:23 The divine word (‫ )דבר‬will be fulfilled 46:11 The divine word (‫ )דבר‬will be fulfilled
45:22 “Turn to me and be saved” (‫)ישע‬ 46:13 Salvation will not delay (‫)תשועה‬
46:1-7
The idols of Babylon cannot save them
from disaster (46:7 ‫)ישע‬
VS.
Yahweh has saves Israel
“I am the one” (46:4 ‫)אני הוא‬
Repeated Themes in Isaiah 40-48

– Yahweh the living God is the one guiding the history of Israel and the nations:
• Yahweh brought the exile for Israel’s sin, and who will now bring about Israel’s restoration:
41:8-14; 42:18-25 + 43:1-13; 43:22-28 + 44:1-5
• He alone is guiding the course of history, not worthless idols of the nations: 40:18-20;
41:6-7, 21-29; 43:8-13; 44:6-20; 45:20-25
– Yahweh foretold the rise of Persia his instrument of judgment against Babylon (remember Isaiah
13:17), and is now fulfilling this promise: 41:2-4, 25-26; 44:24-45:7
Tim Mackie !39
▪ NOTE: Cyrus’ rise is not predicted here, but brought forward as evidence for trusting
Isaiah’s prophecies of future salvation: 41:2-4, 25-26; 44:26
▪ Babylon will fall at the hands of Cyrus: 43:14; chs. 46-47; 48:14, 20
▪ Jerusalem and the temple will be rebuilt: 44:24–28; 45:1-3
– Yahweh brought about the “former things” of judgment predicted by Isaiah. This provides the
basis for trusting his promises to do the “new things” that will bring salvation: 42:9; 43:9, 18-19;
44:7-8; 46:9-11
– The return from Babylon is depicted as a new Exodus and Wilderness journey (see 11:11-16)
• Water in the wilderness: 41:17–20; 43:16–20; 44:1-5
• Passing through the wilderness: 42:13-16
• Passing through the sea: 43:1–3, 16–21
– Yahweh’s servant is called to be a light and witness to the nations of his power and status:
• Israel is identified as ‘the servant’: 41:8-9; 42:19; 43:10; 44:1-2, 26; 45:4; 48:20
• Israel is called to be a witness of Yahweh’s power, but they are still blind and rebellious:
43:8-12; 46:8-13
Isaiah 48: We have a problem! Israel is still blind, rebellious, and obstinate:
• 48:1-2: Israel is still a nation of hypocrisy, even after the exile!
• 48:3-6a: Yahweh fulfilled his promises through Isaiah so that Israel wouldn’t attribute his
work the power of false gods [see also 46:8-13; note the echoes of Exodus 32:9, golden calf:
“hard of neck” ‫]קשׁה ערף‬
• 48:6b-11: Israel’s unbelief means Yahweh will do a “new thing” that Israel has not expected or
anticipated, so that they will know Yahweh alone has done it.
• 48:12-16a: Yahweh has fulfilled his past word about Cyrus, and now will do a “new thing” to
show his power:
• Key text! 48:16b: A new, individual Servant speaks of being sent in the power of Yahweh’s
Spirit: “and now, Lord Yahweh has sent me and his Spirit.”
▪ 48:17-19: The servant will guide Israel in ‘the way’, but it seems they will not pay
attention.
▪ 48:20-22: Israel is called to leave Babylon, but not all will find the peace of Yahweh’s
salvation.
Key questions at the end of Isaiah 48

• Who is the servant announced in 42:1-6 and 48:16b if not the people of Israel?
• If there are still ‘rebellious ones’ and ‘the wicked’ among Israel (46:8-13; 48:22), who are the
“seed” who will experience Yahweh’s salvation (48:19)?
• How will the servant bring justice and salvation to the nations and to Israel (42:1-6; 45:17)?
Tim Mackie !40
Main Themes in Isaiah 49-55

The Servant’s mission to Israel and the nations
Because Israel has disqualified itself from acting corporately as Yahweh’s servant, he commissions an
representative servant to act on behalf of Israel and rescue both Israel and the Nations
51:9-16
wake, wake O
49:1-13 50:4-9 Arm of Yahweh 52:13-53:12 Ch. 54 Ch. 55
Servant #1 Servant #2 Servant #3 The New The New
Representative 51:1-8
The servant is 51:17-23 The servant = Jerusalem Covenant =
servant is The righteous
obedient, yet wake, wake, O Arm of the vocation
appointed ones = my
rejected Jerusalem! Yahweh is of David
new covenant
rejected unto available for
49:14-21 people = 52:1-10
50:10-11 death > “the
Restoration those who wake, wake, O
“servant vindicated to repentant”
affirmed “wait” for Zion
listeners” life
the Arm of Good news
50:1-3 VS. Yahweh Yahweh = king 53:10-11 54:17
Exile was “dark Arm of Yahweh
dwellers” Righteous “this is the
because of 51:8
52:11-12 seed of servant inheritance of
Israel’s sin 50:9 Righteous the servants of
leave, leave vindicated
Servant vindicated Babylon! Yahweh”
Vindicated
49:1–7: The Servant’s commission to Israel and the nations

• 49:1-3: The servant describes his divine commission
• 49:3 “Israel” could be taken one of three ways:
(1) vocative noun: “You are my servant, O Israel,”
(2) appositional noun: “You are my servant, namely Israel,”
(3) a predicate noun: “You are my servant, you are ‘Israel’”
• The last interpretation makes the most contextual sense: An individual prophetic servant
is being given the name and task of Israel: “You are my servant, you are now the true
representative of Israel.”
• 49:4: The servant laments that his labor has been in vain (due to Israel’s unbelief, recalling the
theme of ch. 48)
• 49:5-6: Yahweh commissions the servant to restore Israel to repentance and to be a light to the
nations (from 42:6).
• 49:7: The servant will be rejected by his own people
• 49:8-13: The servant’s task is widened. He will…
(1) …fulfill the call on “servant Israel” to be a light to the nations: The servant of ch.49 takes up
the character traits and responsibility of the “Israel servant” of chs. 40-48
Israel as the Servant: Isaiah 40-48 The Representative Servant: Isaiah 49

Tim Mackie !41
44:24 “Thus says Yahweh… who formed (‫ )יצר‬you 49:1 “from the womb (‫ )מבטן‬Yahweh called me”
from the womb (‫”)מבטן‬ 49:5 “Yahweh formed (‫ )יצר‬me from the womb (‫)מבטן‬
to be his servant”
41:8 “and you, Israel, are my servant (‫)אתה ישראל עבדי‬, 49:3 “You are my servant, “Israel,” (‫)עבדי אתה ישראל‬
Jacob, whom I have chosen” by whom I will make myself glorious”
42:6 “and I will make (‫ )נתן‬you… a light for the 49:6 “and I will make (‫ )נתן‬you a light for the nations
nations (‫”)לאור גוים‬ (‫”)לאור גוים‬
42:6 “I will guard you (‫ )אצרך‬and I will make you a 49:8 “I will guard you (‫ )אצרך‬and I will make you a
covenant of the people (‫”…)לברית עם‬ covenant of the people (‫…)לברית עם‬
44:21-22 “Jacob… you are my servant, I formed you 49:5 “Yahweh formed me from the womb to be his
from the womb to be my servant… return to me (‫ שובה‬servant, to restore (‫ )לשובב לו‬Jacob to himself”
‫ )אלי‬for I have redeemed you”
42:4 “[my servant] will establish justice in the land, 49:6b “so that my salvation will be unto the distant
and for his Torah the distant islands will eagerly wait” ends of the eart”
42:7 “to open blind eyes, to bring out the prisoner 49:9 “to say to the prisoners (‫)אסורים‬, ‘go out!’ and to
(‫ )אסיר‬from prison, the darkness (‫ )חשך‬dweller from the one in darkness (‫)חשך‬, ‘Be freed!’
the house of bondage”
(2) …fulfill Yahweh’s role of bringing restoration to Israel and the nations (49:8-13 is a mosaic of
quotes from Isa 40-48).
Yahweh and Israel (Isaiah 40-48) The representative servant and Israel (Isaiah 49:8-13)
40:11 “like a shepherd (‫ )רעה‬leads his flock to pasture 49:9b “he will lead them to pasture (‫ )ירעה‬on the paths,
(‫)ירעה‬, with his arm he will gather little lambs, and and on all the heights will be their pasture” (‫)מרעית‬
carry in his bosom; he will lead ewe-lamb.”
48:21 “and they will not thirst (‫)צמא‬, in desolate places 49:10 “they will not hunger and they will not thirst
he will guide them, he will water from the rock for (‫ …)צמא‬for the one showing compassion (‫ )רחם‬will
them” guide them, and he will lead them to springs of water
30:18 “Yahweh is eager… to show them compassion” (‫)מבועי מים‬.”
35:7 “the parched land will become a pool, and the
thirsty land into springs of water (‫”)מבועי מים‬
40:3 “make straight in the wilderness a highway 49:11 “and my highways (‫ )מסלה‬will be lifted up”
(‫ )מסלה‬for our God, and every valley will be lifted up”
43:6 “I will bring my sons from afar (‫)מרחוק‬, and my 49:12 “these will come from afar (‫)מרחוק‬, and these
daughters from the ends of the earth” from the north and west”
42:11 “let the rock-dwellers shout (‫)רנן‬, from the top 49:13 “shout O heavens (‫)רנן‬, and be glad O earth, let
of the hills let them yell, let them give glory to the hills break out in glad shouts”
Yahweh
49:14-50:3: Zion again accuses Yahweh of forgetting and abandoning his promises (as in 40:27).
Yahweh reaffirms his promise to restore Israel (49:15-26) and reminds them that exile was the result of
their sin, not divine neglect or impotence (50:1-3).
Key Transition: 50:4-9 + 10-11: The Servant forms a group of followers

• 50:4-9: The servant trusts in Yahweh for vindication, despite persecution and shame from his
people:
• He is one among a circle of “disciples” (50:4), which was the key term describing Isaiah
and his faithful remnant (see 8:16-18)
• 50:10-11: Those who “fear Yahweh and listen to the servant’s voice” are called to trust in him
in contrast to the wicked who generate their own “light” of restoration
Tim Mackie !42
51:1-52:12: Those who follow the servant are addressed and comforted
• 51:1-8: Three addresses to the followers of the Servant:
51:1 – ‘you who pursue what is right [Heb. tsedeq]
51:4 – ‘my people’
51:7 – ‘you who know what is right [Heb. tsedeq]
The followers of the Servant (which includes the nations, 51:4-5) are called to trust in:
(1) 51:2 God’s covenant promises to Abraham. Abraham came to the land (from Babylon!)
and so God “blessed and multiplied him” when odds were against his prosperity.
(2) 51:3 God’s promise to make the desert into a new “garden of Eden”
(3) 51:4 God’s promise to place “my Torah in their heart” (Jeremiah 31:31)
• 51:9-52:12: Four announcements of Yahweh’s deliverance by his mighty ARM

51:9 “Wake up, wake up, put on strength O arm of Yahweh!”
51:17 “Wake up, wake up, O Jerusalem!”
52:1 “Wake up, wake up, put on strength O Zion!”
52:11 “Leave, Leave, get out of there!”
Yahweh puts his word in the mouth of the followers of the servant (51:16), who then
announce that Yahweh’s “arm” (51:9; 52:10) and salvation are soon to be revealed.
52:13–53:12: The Servant suffers and dies and is vindicated on behalf of Israel and the nations
o 52:7-10: Yahweh is going to bear his arm in royal power. How?
o 52:13-15: Yahweh speaks: My Servant will be exalted in suffering
{
53:1-3 – The remnant describes the rejected servant
“We” speak 53:4-6 – The servant dies for the sins of others
53:7-10 – The servant’s death is a sacrifice for sin
o 53:11-12: Yahweh speaks: My Servant will live again after suffering
Key interpretive issues in Isaiah 53:

• 52:14:
• Masoretic text:
Just as many were astonished at you,
So his appearance was disfigured (‫ )משׁחת‬more than any man
and his form more than the sons of man
• Qumran Isaiah-A scroll:

Just as many were astonished at you,
So I have anointed (‫ )משׁחתי‬his appearance more than any man,
and his form more than the sons of the man.
• 52:15: “so he will yazzeh (‫ )יַזֶּה‬many nations; kings will shut their mouths at him”
Tim Mackie !43
• (1) “he will sprinkle” — NIV, NAS, ESV(Hiphil ‫)נזה‬: to purify (cultic: Ex 29.21; Lev
4.6; 8.11; 14.7; Num 8.7) or to sprinkle blood for atonement (Lev 5.9; 16.14)
• (2) “he will startle” — NRSV, NIV/ESV footnotes (Hiphil ‫ נזה‬II, not attested in Biblical
Hebrew, but a cognate word in Arabic), see Septuagint “they will be
amazed” (θαυµάσονται)
• 53:10
• “It was Yahweh’s purpose (‫ )חפץ‬to crush him” (NIV, ESV “the Lord’s will”). The word
can sometimes be used of emotional pleasure (see Micah 7:18; Jer 9:23; Ps 112:1) when
there are contextual clues that indicate emotion. However, most often it refer more
simply to one’s purpose or intended plan (Isa 55:11; Esther 6:6), as the appearance of
the same word in 53:10b makes clear: “the purpose of Yahweh will prosper in his
hand.”
• “he made him suffer” (‫ = )החלי‬literally he made him sick. This is related to the noun
“sickness” (‫ )חלי‬used to describe Israel’s “sin-suffering” (1:5), and the “sickness” that
struck king Hezekiah (38:5).
• 53:11: “My righteous servant will declare righteous the many, and he will bear their sins”
• “declare righteous” (Hiphil ‫ = )צדק‬Septuagint δικαιοω: This is one of the key sources of
Paul’s vocabulary of “justification” in Romans and Galatians.
• “the many”: Jesus described his own death in these terms: Mark 10:45, “The son of
man did not come to be served, but to become a servant, and to give his life as a ransom
for many.”
• 53:12 in Hebrew and Greek
Hebrew Text Septuagint
“Because he exposed his life to death, Because his life was handed over to death,
and was counted along with rebels; and with lawless ones he was counted;
and the bore the sins of many, and he bore the sins of many,
and he interposed himself for rebels.” and because of our sins he was handed over.
‫ַ֗תּ ַחת ֲא ֶ֨שׁר ֶה ֱﬠ ָ ֤רה ַל ָ֨מּוֶ ֙ת נַ ְפ ֔שׁוֹ‬ ἀνθ’ ὧν παρεδόθη εἰς θάνατον ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ,
‫וְ ֶאת־פּ ְֹשׁ ִ ֖ﬠים נִ ְמ ָנ֑ה‬ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀνόµοις ἐλογίσθη,
‫א־ר ִ ֣בּים נָ ָ֔שׂא‬ ַ ‫הוּא ֵח ְט‬֙ ְ‫ו‬ καὶ αὐτὸς ἁµαρτίας πολλῶν ἀνήνεγκεν
‫יﬠ׃‬ ַ ‫יַפ ִ ֽגּ‬
ְ ‫וְ ַלפּ ְֹשׁ ִ ֖ﬠים‬ καὶ διὰ τὰς ἁµαρτίας αὐτῶν παρεδόθη
Atonement Theology in Isaiah 53 in Hebrew and Septuagint Greek and Pauline Theology:
I. The Messiah dies on our behalf
a. Isaiah 53:4
i. Hebrew: On the contrary, he bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains
[‫]וּמ ְכא ֵֹבינוּ ְס ָב ָל֑ם‬.
ַ
Tim Mackie !44
ii. Greek: This one bore our sins and he suffered for us [περὶ ἡµῶν ὀδυνᾶται]
• 1Thess 5:9–10: For God has not destined us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our
Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us [περι / υπερ ηµων]5
• Rom 5:8 Christ died for us [υπερ ηµων]
• Rom 8:32 [God] gave him over for us all [υπερ ηµων παντων]
• 2Cor 5:21 He who knew no sin became sin for us [υπερ ηµων]
• Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us . . . becoming a curse for us [υπερ ηµων]
II. The Messiah dies for our sins

a. Isaiah 53:5
i. Hebrew: But he was pierced because our transgressions [‫]מ ְפּ ָשׁ ֵﬠנוּ‬,
ִ he was
crushed because of our iniquities [‫]מ ֲﬠוֹנ ֵ ֹ֑תינוּ‬.
ֵ ..
ii. Septuagint Greek: But he was wounded because of our transgressions [δια τας
ανοµιας ηµων], and he was weakened because of our sins [δια τας αµαρτιας
ηµων].
b. Isaiah 53:6
i. Hebrew: The LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all [‫]ה ְפגִּ ַיע בּוֹ ֵאת ֲﬠוֹן ֻכּ ָ ֽלּנוּ‬
ִ
ii. Septuagint Greek: The Lord gave him over for/to our sins [ταις αµαρτιαις ηµων]
c. Isaiah 53:11
i. Hebrew: By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the
many, As He will bear their iniquities [‫]וַ ֲﬠוֹנ ָֹתם‬.
ii. Septuagint Greek: To justify the righteous one who serves many well; and he
will bear their sins [αµαρτιας αυτων]
d. Isaiah 53:12
i. Hebrew: Yet He Himself bore the sin of many [‫א־ר ִבּים‬ ֵ And interceded for
ַ ‫]ח ְט‬,
the transgressors [‫]וְ ַלפּ ְֹשׁ ִﬠים‬
ii. Septuagint Greek: And he bore the sins of many [αµαρτιας πολλων], and was
given over because of their sins [δια τας αµαρτιας αυτων].
• Romans 4:25 . . . Jesus Christ our Lord, who was given over because of our
transgressions [δια τα παραπτωµατα ηµων].
• Galations 1:4 . . . who gave himself over for our sins [περι / υπερ των αµαρτιων ηµων]6
5 There is a textual variant in 1Thess 5:10: The two earliest Codices (‫ א‬B) read περι ηµων; the reading υπερ ηµων is
attested by an early papyrus (P30), and the later Codices (A D F) and the Byzantine Majority text. The reading of the early
Codices is the more difficult reading, as it is the only place this phrase occurs in all of Paul’s writings, whereas the second
reading occurs often in Paul. It is more likely that περι ηµων is original and was later adjusted to Paul’s more common
usage of υπερ ηµων.
6 There is the same textual variant here as in 1Thess 5:10.
Tim Mackie !45
• 1Cor 15:3 . . . Christ died for our sins [υπερ των αµαρτιων ηµων]
III. The Messiah was given over for our sins

a. Isaiah 53:6
i. Hebrew: the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all [‫]ה ְפגִּ ַיע בּוֹ ֵאת ֲﬠוֹן ֻכּ ָ ֽלּנוּ‬
ִ
ii. Septuagint Greek: And the Lord gave him over for our sins [παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν
ταῖς ἁµαρτίαις ἡµῶν]
b. Isaiah 53:12
i. Hebrew: Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide
the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death [‫ֶה ֱﬠ ָרה ַל ָמּוֶ ת‬
‫]נַ ְפשׁוֹ‬, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors [‫יﬠ‬ַ ‫]וְ ַלפּ ְֹשׁ ִﬠים יַ ְפ ִ ֽגּ‬.
ii. Septuagint Greek: Therefore he will inherit many, and will share the spoils of
the strong, because his life was given over to death [παρεδοθη εις θανατον],
and he was considered to be among the lawless. And he bore the sins of many,
and he was given over because of their sins [δια τας αµαρτιας αυτων
παρεδοθη]
• Romans 4:25 . . . he was given over [παρεδοθη] because of our transgressions

• Romans 8:32 but [God] gave him over for us all [υπερ ηµων παντων παρεδωκεν αυτον]
• 1Cor 11:23 . . . on the night that he was betrayed (lit. given over) [παρεδιδετο]
• Gal 2:20 …the Son of God who loved me and gave himself [παραδοντος] for me.
Tim Mackie !46
Key Question after Isaiah 53: Who will benefit from the work of the servant?
• 53:10-11: The servant will “look upon offspring/seed” and will “declare them righteous” >
who is this “seed?”
• What is their connection to “those who fear Yahweh and listen to the voice of his
servant” (50:10)?
Answer #1: Isaiah 54: The restored Zion (= the New Jerusalem) will be the “the inheritance of the
servants of Yahweh, and their righteousness from me” (54:17)
• 54:17b is a compositional comment that stands outside the poetic boundaries of 54:1-17a (the
entire poem is addressed to a 2nd fem. sg. addressee = Lady Zion, only 54:17b has a 3rd masc.
pl. referent).
• This same verse is set apart as unique in the 1QIsaiah-a scroll from Qumran:
• “In 54:17b one notes the peculiar delineation in the scroll, as if the line has been separated from the previous
word of YHWH which preceded, and its role as a bridge to what follower. It looks as if there are two different
addressees: 54:11-17a is God’s word to the restored Zion and 55:1-5 as words of God to the servants of
Yahweh, who inherit the former.” — Ulrich Berges, “Where Does Trito-Isaiah Start in the Book of
Isaiah?”
• “The author of v.17b seems to have been very much concerned with limiting these words of salvation to this
group of individuals… the promises made to Zion as a whole in Isa 40-55 are here focused on a particular
group within Israel, the “servants” who are introduced here for the first time.” — Jacob Stromberg, Isaiah
after Exile, 246-247.
Answer #2: Isaiah 55: An invitation and an ultimatum

• 55:1a A warning summons “Hoy!” (remember “hoy” in 5:8, 18, 20, 21, 21, etc.)
• 55:1 “all who are thirsty, come to the waters”:
• A reference to (1) 44:3 “for I will pour out waters upon the thirsty and streams on the dry
ground; I will pour out my Spirit upon your seed, and my blessing upon your offspring”
Tim Mackie !47
• Or a reference to (2) 12:3 “for you will draw water from the springs of salvation” = the New
Jerusalem and the feast for all nations, described also in 25:6-9.
• 55:3-5: For those who respond to this call, they will participate in the covenant promises God made
to David:
• 55:4: God made David a witness (‫)עד‬, leader (‫)נגיד‬, and commander (‫ )מצוה‬of the nations
• 55:5: Similarly, God will make with the servants (“y’all” = “servants” of 54:17b) an eternal
covenant, which means they will become the heirs of the Davidic covenant, and the rallying
point for all nations to come to them (➞ Isa 11:10, 12; 49:22).
• “The Davidic covenant is no longer primarily broadened to all of Israel, but concentrated upon the
group of servants, the seed of the servant, and the true children of mother Zion. Having returned to
Jerusalem they see themselves in the line of David… Just as David integrated non-Israelites into his
reign, now also foreign peoples will be admitted into the new people of God. But, differently from
David, the task of the servants is not one of dominion, but of guidance. They will guide all people who
are willing to gather in Zion… the invitation is to come to the new Jerusalem where Yahweh reigns and
to share in its wealth.” — Ulrich Berges, “Where Does Trito-Isaiah Start in the Book of Isaiah,”
71-72.
• 55:6-9: An offer of repentance [referred to later in 65:1]

• Israel’s “ways” and “thoughts” are evil and are not like God’s “ways” and “thoughts” > they
are called to “repent”
• 55:7b: Repentance leads to “compassion” and “great forgiveness”
• 55:10-11: The divine word will create fruit and fulfill its purpose
• 55:10 “my word will not return void” ➞ 40:8 “the word of Yahweh stands forever” // 45:23
“righteous goes out of my mouth, a word and it will not return”
• This “word” theme creates an inclusio envelope around chs. 40-55: the announcement of
exile’s end and the invitation to a new Jerusalem will not fail.
• 55:12-13: The new exodus will happen, creating and eternal memorial to God’s name
Tim Mackie !48
Key Question at the end of Isaiah 40-55: Who are the seed/servants who will share in God’s
righteousness and in the restoration of Zion?
• The question is answered by a series of textual linkages that bridge the compositional seams
between chs. 40-55 and the next section in chs. 56-66:
Isa 54 Isa 55 Isa 56

The Restored Zion Offer of repentance > New Boundaries of New Covenant
Covenant people expanded
“you will call a nation you don’t know, “eunuchs who choose what I will, and
“your seed will inherit nations” [v. 3] and nations that don’t know you will run hold fast to my covenant” [v.4] //
to you…” [55:5] “foreigners who join themselves to
Yahweh” [v.6]
“my house will be a house of prayer for
all nations” [v.7b]
“with eternal hesed I have compassion on “I will make with you an eternal
you” [8] covenant, the hesed to David that is
“my hesed will not leave you, and my trustworthy” [v. 3b]
eternal covenant will not totter” [v.10]
“it will be a name for Yahweh, an eternal “I will give them [= eunuchs/foreigners]
sign that will not be cut off” [v.13] an eternal name, that will not be cut
off” [v.5]
“[eunuchs/foreigners] who serve and love

“This is the inheritance of the servants of the name of Yahweh, to become his
Yahweh…” [v.17b] servants” [v.6]
• The restored Zion is going to become a rallying point for all nations: a remnant seed within Israel
will become the nucleus of a multi-ethnic new covenant people who will participate in the eternal
covenant promises to David.
Tim Mackie !49
Isaiah 56-66: Structure and Main Themes

Distinguishing between the servant’s seed and the wicked
This entire section has been designed as a large symmetry with a concentric pattern. The poems are
meant to read sequentially, but each section is also meant to be compared with its matching pair.
• The entire literary unit of Isaiah 56-66 is defined by a clear outer frame with a beginning and
conclusion (56:1-8 // 66:18-24, see below for the list of intertextual linkages)
56:1-8: Inclusion of the gentiles into Yahweh’s covenant people

56:9-58:14: Contrast between the fate the servants and the wicked
59:1-14: The servants confess Israel’s sin and call for Yahweh’s salvation
59:15-21: Yahweh brings justice and salvation
60-62: The restored temple and the return of Yahweh to Zion
63:1-6: Yahweh brings justice and salvation
63:7-64:12: The servants confess Israel’s sin and call for Yahweh’s salvation
65:1-66:17: Contrast between the fate of the servants and the wicked
At the center of this arrangement is a very tight symmetry surrounding the announcement of the
restored Temple and the time of salvation:
59:15b-20: Yahweh’s Justice Chs. 60-62 63:1-6 Yahweh’s justice

“Yahweh looked, and it was bad in his eyes… 60: Nations come to
and he looked, for there was no one and I looked, and there was no one to help
and he was astonished, new Jerusalem and I was astonished,
for there was no one to intercede 61: The Servant for there was no one to uphold
and his own arm brought salvation on his behalf declares Jubilee and my own arm brought salvation on my behalf
and his own righteousness, it upheld him and my own wrath, it upheld me
62:Yahweh returns to
restored Zion
Intertextual links between 56:1-8 and 66:18-24 that form a literary frame around chs. 56-66
• The nations are gathered to Zion (56:8; 66:18)
• People will move “towards my holy mountain” (56:7; 66:19-20)
• Non-Israelites are described with priestly designations (56:6; 66:21)
• Emphasis on keeping the Sabbath (56:2, 4, 6; 66:3-4)
• Obedience to God is described as “choosing what God desires” (56:4; 65:12)
• The obedient are called “servants” of Yahweh (56:6; 65:8; 66:14), who are given a “name” (56:5;
65:15; 66:22)
• “These parallels frame Isaiah 55-66, giving it a beginning and ending, and suggest that an effort
has been made to give this section a distinct literary shape.” — Stromberg, “Deutero-Isaiah’s
Restoration Reconfigured,” 200. 
Tim Mackie !50
Key Differences of Vocabulary and Themes between Isaiah 40-55 and 56-66
• The temporal location of Isaiah 56-66 is distinct from chs. 40-55, in which the rise of Cyrus and the
fall of Babylon are imminent and happening in real time. Chapters 56-66 speaks from a later
perspective that is focused on life back in Jerusalem.
• The focus of Yahweh’s work and Israel’s role shifts in Isa 56-66
• Isa 40-48 was focused on Yahweh’s role on the international scene
• Isa 49-55 was focused on Yahweh commissioning a servant to Israel and the nations
• Isa 56-66 is focused on the fate of the servants among an apostate Israel
• Isa 40-55 still looks forward to the return from Babylonian exile and the rebuilding of the
temple as an imminent future reality (see 44:28) // Isa 56-66 presumes the returnees are back
in Jerusalem facing inner-Israelite conflicts.
• The scope and nature of the Salvation/Restoration announced in Isa 40-55 is reconfigured in Isa
56-66 (see Stromberg, “Deutero-Isaiah’s Restoration Reconfigured”)
• The agent of restoration:
• Isa 40-55: Cyrus is the key agent who will restore God’s people and rebuild the temple
that will become the focal point of God’s salvation among the nations ()
• Isa 56-66: God alone will restore Zion, with the help of no other agent.
• The timing of restoration:
• Isa 40-55: Salvation is imminent with the rise of Cyrus and the chance for the exiles to
return to Jerusalem
• Isa 56-66: Salvation has been delayed because of Israel’s continued sin after the return
from exile (see 59:1-2, 9-15)
• The recipients of restoration:
• Isa 40-55: The restoration is for “Israel/Jacob” who is God’s “chosen one” (45:4) and
“servant” (41:8-9)
• Isa 56-66: The restoration is for “a seed brought out of Jacob” (65:9), who are God’s
“chosen ones” and “servants” (65:9). This is in contrast to “the wicked” (57:21) who
have forgotten Yahweh (65:11).
• The nature of the restoration:
• Isa 40-55: the “former things” refers to the suffering of Babylonian exile (“don’t
remember the former things,” 43:18), and the “new things” that God will “create” refer
to the return and rebuilding of Jerusalem (42:9; 43:19)
• Isa 56-66: the “former things” refer to the sufferings of the servants at the hand of the
wicked (the “former troubles… not remembered” 65:16), and the “new things” God will
“create” is a new Jerusalem that is itself an image of a “new creation” (65:16-19; 66:22)
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56:1-8: Yahweh’s Announcement + Inclusion of the gentiles into Yahweh’s covenant people
56:1: Announcement: Yahweh’s righteous salvation is about to appear, therefore Israel is called to
do justice and righteousness
• 56:1a: “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Guard justice, and do righteousness’ — This is the primary
word pair of Isaiah 1-39: Israel has failed to do this and it’s what the future messianic
king will bring (1:17, 21, 27; 5:7; 9:6)
• 56:1b: “for my salvation is near to coming, and my righteousness to being revealed” —
This is the key word pair in Isa 40-55 describing God’s salvation and vindication that
will come through the work of the servant.
56:2-8: The “servants” are expanded to include all gentiles who join God’s people, love the name
of Yahweh, and who hold fast to the covenant.
• 56:3 “eunuchs” the only other occurrence of this word is in 39:7, describing the fate of
Hezekiah’s royal line in Babylon.
56:9-58:14 – Contrast between the two seeds: the servants and the wicked
56:9-12: Israel’s leaders are like blind shepherds
57:1-2: The righteous suffer like the servant, dying without notice
57:3-13: Israel’s idolatrous ‘seed’ contrasted with the servants (v.13)
57:14-21: The humble and repentant can be healed, but the wicked will be judged (v.21)
58:1-14: Israel is called to do justice for the poor, only then will restoration come
59:1-15a: The servants confess Israel’s sin and call for Yahweh’s salvation
59:1-8: The wicked and corrupt among Israel have delayed the time of salvation
59:9-15a: The righteous confess Israel’s sin (“we” = the “we” of Isaiah 53)
59:15b-21: Yahweh brings justice and salvation

• 59:15b-21: This poem shows God’s response to the confession of sin in 59:1-15a, and is matched by
the parallel in 63:1-6.
59:15b-21 63:1-6
59:15b-16 “Yahweh looked, and it was bad in his 63:5
eyes… and he looked, for there was no one and I looked, and there was no one to help
and he was astonished, for there was no one to intercede and I was astonished, for there was no one to uphold
and his own arm brought salvation on his behalf and my own arm brought salvation on my behalf
and his own righteousness, it upheld him and my own wrath, it upheld me
59:17b 63:3-4
and he put on clothes of vengeance as a garment and their juice spattered on my clothes, and I fouled
and wrapped on passion as a rob all my garments, for a day of vengeance was in my
heart…”
• Notice how the violent imagery of 63:1-4 is transformed by the “arm of the Lord” imagery in
both 63:4-5 and also in 59:15b-21:
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• “the arm of the Lord” bringing “salvation” is a deliberate recollection of a series of texts
in Isaiah 40-66 that create a mosaic of how Yahweh’s arm brings salvation:
40:10-11 Look, Lord Yahweh will come in power, and his arm rules for him;
look his reward is with him and his recompense is before him
as a shepherd tends his flock, with his arm he will gather ewe lambs
51:5 My righteousness is near; my salvation has gone out, and my arm will bring justice to the peoples;
distant islands wait for me; and they eagerly await my arm
51:9 Arouse yourself, arouse yourself O arm of Yahweh, arouse yourself as in ancient days of old;
wasn’t it you who split Rahab and pierced the sea dragon?
52:10 Yahweh has laid bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will
see the salvation of our God.
53:1 Who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed?
59:16 And he saw that there was no one, and he was astonished that there was no one to intercede, and his
own arm brought salvation for himself
62:8 Yahweh has sworn an oath by his strong right arm…
63:5 And I looked, and there was no one to help, and I was astonished that there was no one to uphold,
and my own arm brought salvation for myself.
• The violent imagery of 63:1-4 is reinterpreted by the “revealed arm of Yahweh” in
53:1 that brings salvation (59:16) by the suffering servant’s vicarious death and
bloodshed (53:6-7).
• 59:20-21:
• 59:20: The redemption of Zion will be for “those who repent of transgression in Jacob,”
a link back to 1:27 “Zion will be redeemed with justice, and her repentant ones with
righteousness”
• Masoretic Text: “A redeemer will come to Zion” (‫)לציון‬
• Septuagint: “A redeemer will come on account of Zion (ἕνεκεν Σιων)
• Paul in Romans 11:25: “A redeemer will come from Zion (ἐκ Σιὼν)
• Paul is reading Isaiah 59:20 in light of a few other “Zion restoration” texts
that say God’s messianic salvation will emerge “from Zion” and go out to
the nations:
• Psalm 14:7 and 53:6 “O that salvation for Israel would come from
Zion (‫ = מציון‬ἐκ Σιων) when Yahweh restores his people.”
• Psalm 110:2: “Yahweh will send your scepter of strength from Zion
(‫ = מציון‬ἐκ Σιων).”
• 59:21: God’s covenant will bring salvation for repentant in Israel who are the “seed”
who will bear God’s spirit and God’s word and in whom the Servant will “prolong his
seed” (cf. 1:26 and 53:11)
60-62: The Promise of the Restored Temple and God’s kingdom over the nations to be inherited
by the Righteous Seed of the Servant
This composition consists of three large poems arranged in a concentric ring:
A: 60:1-22: The Restored Zion and renewed temple becomes the rallying point for all nations
Tim Mackie !53
B: 61:1-11: The servant announces good news and passes his character and mission on
to the righteous seed so that the mission to the nations will be accomplished
A’: 62:1-12: Zion is redeemed, and all nations join the procession into the temple to greet
Yahweh when comes to save
A: 60:1-22
The Restored Zion and renewed temple becomes the rallying point for all nations: This poem has three
larger movements, an introduction to the theme (vv. 1-3) and main body (vv. 4-18), and conclusion
(vv. 19-22). Each movement picks up themes and images from earlier sections of the book:
• 60:1-3: Redeemed Zion carries on the mission the servant (‘light to the nations’, cf. 42:6;
49:6)
• 60:4-18: Ingathering of the nations to the redeemed Zion (picking and developing images
from 2:1-5; 11:10; 42:4; 43:6; 45:14; 49:18, 22-23)
• 60:19-22: The righteous seed will dwell in the redeemed Zion forever (51:1, 7; 53:11-12;
54:17b; 56:5-6)
• The titles given to this group in 60:21 are taken from earlier sections of the book:
o “righteous ones” ➞ 53:11-12: the servant, a “righteous one” declares the many
to be “righteous”
o “they will inherit the land” ➞ 54:3 “your seed will inherit nations”
o “the branch of my planting (‫ ➞ ”)נצר מטעי‬11:1 “a branch (‫ )נצר‬from [Jesse’s]
roots will bear fruit // 37:31-32 the remnant will take root below (‫ )מטה‬and bear
fruit above [*this was a self-description used by the Qumran community: see
Community Rule (1QS) 8:5]
o “the work of my hands” ➞ 29:23 (only 2x in OT) “the work of my hands” will
fulfill God’s promises
o “to show my splendor” ➞ 44:23 and 49:3: God’s mission is to show his
splendor to the nations through his servant.
B: 61:1-11 The servant announces good news and passes his character and mission on to the righteous
seed so that the mission to the nations will be accomplished
• 61:1-9: The anointed herald’s announcement to Zion
• 61:10-11: Personified Zion responds to the herald’s announcement
Key Questions about Isaiah 61

(1) Who is this anointed speaker of 61:1?
• The Davidic king of 11:2: (1) “anointing” is primarily used to describe kings (1 Sam 16:13);
(2) the king of Isa 11:1-3 was spirit-empowered; (3) there are many other allusions to Isaiah
11 in Isa 60-62:
• 60:21 “the branch of his planting” // 11:1 “a branch will spring up”
• 62:10a “build up a highway” // 11:16 “there will be a highway for the remnant of his
people”
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• 62:10b “raise up a banner for the peoples” // 11:10 “the root of Jesse will stand like a
banner for the peoples”
• Problems: (1) Nowhere else does the “king” of Isaiah 1-39 reappear as such in Isaiah
40-66; (2) Isaiah 55:3-5 reconfigured the “covenant promised to David” to apply the
temple restoration among the community of returned exiles.
• The prophetic servant of Isaiah 49-55 who has appropriated the role of Israel’s Davidic King
• The Spirit-endowment of 61:1 adopts the royal (11:1-3) and prophetic (42:1; 48:16b)
role of the Servant and his community (44:2-3)
• Good news for poor makes this figure one of the heralds of restoration to Zion (40:9;
41:27; 52:7): the herald of good news to the exiles about the return to Zion has become
a herald of good news to Zion about its restoration.
(2) What is the mission of the “anointed” one?

• 61:1a “to announce good news for the poor/afflicted (‫”)ענוים‬
• “the afflicted ones” were mentioned in 49:13 “Yahweh will comfort his people, and
show compassion on his afflicted ones (‫ ”)ענוים‬and 41:17 “the afflicted ones look for
water… I Yahweh will answer them.” See also 48:10 “I chose you in the furnace of
affliction (‫ = )עני‬affliction refers to the community that has suffered in the exile to
Babylon and has returned to harsh conditions (Isa 58)
• 61:1b “to bind up the broken hearted” (‫ ➞ )נשברי לב‬The term is rare and appears elsewhere
only in Psalms 34:19, 51:19, and 147:3 (“who heals the broken-hearted and binds up their
wounds”), all referring to exile.
• 61:1c-2a “to proclaim (‫ )קרא‬release (‫ )דרור‬for the captives (‫)שבוים‬, and opening-up for the
prisoners”
• This is Jubilee tradition language from Leviticus 25:10 “you shall proclaim (‫)קרא‬
release (‫ )דרור‬in the land for all its inhabitants (‫)ישביה‬.
• Leviticus 25: If a tribal land inheritance is sold, it is restored to the tribe in the Jubilee;
if a poor person goes into debt-slavery, he is to be freed on the Jubilee year.
• In Isaiah, slavery/imprisonment was the main image of oppression and exile in chs. 1-39
and 40-55:
• Isa 61:7 “instead of shame, I will give a double portion, and instead of reproach, they
will rejoice in their inheritance, for in their land they will inherit a double portion” =
Israel’s exile from the land was viewed as a form of debt-slavery from which they
needed a “jubilee” redemption.
“After the exile, if not already long before, the social and economic conditions of ancient
agrarian tribal Israel, for which the jubilee was appropriate, were hopelessly destroyed, and a
re-implementation of the jubilee legislation was unworkable even had it been desired.
Nonetheless, scriptural authors subsequent to the exile remained convinced that the sacral
laws retained relevance… and based on this conviction they began to treat the Jubilee law as
prophecy by means of symbolic, or typological interpretation. In their view, the jubilee texts
Tim Mackie !55
referred not only to poor Israelites who fell into debt-slavery. Rather, the individual whose
plight was addressed in Lev 25:25-55 became a corporate symbol of the people of Israel as a
whole, who had fallen into debt with the Lord by failing to observe the Torah, and so had
become enslaved to various foreign powers and alienated from their ancestral land.” — John
Bergsma, The Jubilee from Leviticus to Qumran, 298-99.
• 61:2 “to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor (‫ )רצון‬and the day of vengeance” ➞ Isa 49:8 “in
the time of favor (‫ )רצון‬I answered you, and in the day of salvation I helped you”
• Isa 61 is combining to two roles of the “redeemer” in the Torah: (1) the redeemer of
slaves and enslaved land (Lev 25, 27) and (2) the blood-avenger who repays enemies
for innocent bloodshed (Num 35; Deut 19).
• “Behind this theological imagery is the typological association of the Babylonian exile
with the Egyptian captivity. Just as Yahweh brought the people out of Egypt by
bringing plagues (= vengeance) upon the Egyptians, so he will also liberate his people
from Babylon through vengeance. In Isaiah 40-55 this exodus imagery has been
combined with the depiction of debt-slavery to bring about the picture of Yahweh as
Israel’s ‘redeemer,’ that is, the one who both restores and avenges.” — Gregory, “The
Post-exilic Exile in Third Isaiah,” 487.
• “Just as Isa 40-55 understood the Babylonian exile as an image of the Egyptian
captivity, so in Isa 56-66 the oppressive situation in Jerusalem after the exile becomes
another symbol alongside these. One gets the impression that the author does not see
the situation back in post-exilic Palestine as appreciably better than the situation in
Babylon, or in ancient Egypt. In all cases, Israel remains “shackled” because of sin
and awaits deliverance by Yahweh. Also, the prescriptions for the Jubilee year have
been eschatologized. By employing a typological relationship between the enslaved
Israelite of Leviticus 25 and the entire post-exilic community, Isa 56-66 has moved the
concept of the Jubilee from a legal prescription to an image of eschatological
deliverance, and this is the same kind of hermeneutical move we find in other Second
Temple texts.” — Gregory, “The Post-exilic Exile in Third Isaiah,” 488.
• “Isaiah 61:1-3 represents one of the earliest attestations of the phenomenon of

understanding the exile as an ongoing state, that is, understanding the exile
theologically rather than just historically,” — Gregory, “The Post-exilic Exile in Third
Isaiah,” 488.
(3) Who listens and receives good news from the servant herald?
• The “mourners of Zion” who are comforted (61:2-3) and become the rebuilders/restorers
(61:4-5), and who are the “priests” of the new Zion (61:6).
• These are the ones who will receive the “wealth of the nations” (61:6 ➞ 60:5, 16) and be
doubly restored (61:7 ➞ 40:1-2)
• These will be vindicated by Yahweh (61:8b ➞ 40:10), and participate in the new covenant
(61:8b = 55:3 “I will make with y’all an eternal covenant”)
Tim Mackie !56
• These are the “seed” who are blessed by Yahweh (61:9 ➞ Genesis 12:1-3) and become a
beacon of divine hope among the nations (➞ 49:6)
A’ 62:1-12
The prophet begs Yahweh to bring Zion’s restoration in the eyes of the nations ➞ God promises to
fulfill his word
• 62:1-5: The prophet commits to interceding for Zion until God’s restoration promises are
fulfilled
• 62:6-7: The prophet promises to intercede for Zion 24/7 until
• 62:8-9: God responds with a promise oath to restore Zion
• 62:10-12: A renewed prophetic call to “prepare the way” of the people: This concluding
poem quotes from and adapts the restoration hopes from chs. 24-27 and 40-55: the
announcement of divine visitation (➞ 40:1-11) is melded with a call to repentance and
spiritual reformation (➞ 57:14) that will coincide with Zion’s restoration
Isaiah 62:10-12 Restoration texts alluded to Notes
“Pass through, pass through26:2 “Open up the gates, and let a The restored Zion can be
by the gates… righteousness enter, who keeps faithfulness” entered by the righteous
“Prepare the way of the 40:3 “Prepare the way of Yahweh, make The “way of the Lord”
people, build up, build up the
straight a highway for our God” has been transformed into
highway, remove any stone 57:14 “build up, build up, prepare the way, the moral “way of the
from it remove stumbling blocks from the way of my people”
people”
Lift up a banner to the 11:10 “On that day the root of Jesse will The messianic banner
peoples stand as a banner of the peoples” will be the rallying point
49:22 “Look, I will lift up my hand to in the new Zion
nations, and I will raise my banner to the
peoples”
Look, Yahweh has announced 48:20a “Go out of Babylon, flee from the The prophetic call to
to the end of the land Chaldeans… Announce this, bring it out to leave Babylon physically
the end of the land has become a metaphor
for leaving the wicked
Say to daughter Zion: ‘Look, 52:7b “Say to Zion, “Your God reigns as Yahweh will return to
your salvation comes’ king!” Zion as its king to bring
52:10 “Yahweh will lay bare his holy arm in salvation to the nations
the eyes of all nations, and the ends of the
earth will see the salvation of our God”
Look, his reward is with him, 40:10 “Look, sovereign Yahweh comes with The new Zion’s
and his recompense before power, and he rules with a mighty arm; look, restoration will coincide
him his reward is with him, and his recompense with an ultimate act of
before him” divine justice
Tim Mackie !57
And they will be called “the 35:8 “And there will be a highway and a way, The entry to the new Zion
holy people,” the ones and it will be called “a way of holiness” will be the “pathway” for
redeemed by Yahweh 48:20b “Say, ‘Yahweh has redeemed his the holy/righteous one
servant Jacob’”
51:9-10: He made a way in the depths of the
sea, for the redeemed ones to cross, and the
ones purchased by Yahweh will return and
come to Zion”
And you will be called “the 41:17 “the afflicted and the thirsty who seek Zion will no longer be
one sought out,” “the city not water…I will not abandon them abandoned
abandoned” 42:16 “I will make the crooked places
smooth… I will do these things and I will not
abandon them”
54:6 “Yahweh has called you, as an
abandoned woman”
63:1-6: Yahweh will come to bring justice on his enemies

63:1 “Edom” (‫ )אדם‬is spelled with the same letters as “humanity” (‫ )אדם‬and so became a
symbol of humanity in opposition to Yahweh
63:7-64:12: The righteous seed prays for the appearance of Yahweh’s salvation
• This is a post-exilic communal lament poem, that mourns the destruction of the temple (see
63:18; 64:10) and calls for Yahweh to bring the salvation that has been promised. It shares
many similarities Psalms 76, 106, Nehemiah 9, and Daniel 9.
• 63:7: Opening theme: “I will recall Yahweh’s deeds of covenant loyalty”
• 63:8-9: Retelling of the Exodus and later divine rescue
• 63:10: Israel’s rebellion and Yahweh’s handing over
• 63:11-14: Petition: Where are those deliverers today?
• 63:15-64:11: Petitions for God’s attention, presence, and deliverance.
• The concluding line sets up the question, to which chs. 65-66 are the response:
• 64:11: “concerning these things, Yahweh, will you restrain yourself; will you be silent
and afflict up yet more…?”
• 65:6 responds directly: “I will not be silent, for I will repay fully into their lap…”
65:1-66:17 Contrast between the fate of the servants and the wicked
• This second-to-last section of the entire book is a series of divine speeches that alternate between
addressing the wicked and the righteous servants.
65:1-7: The wicked have rejected Yahweh

65:8-16: The servants will be vindicated and the wicked judged
65:17-25: The servants will inherit the new creation and live in the new Jerusalem of the
messianic kingdom
• 65:24-25 is an adaptive quotation from the messianic vision of 11:6-9 combined with
the promise of the snake-crusher in Genesis 3:15
Tim Mackie !58
Isa 65:25 Isaiah 11:6-9
A wolf (‫ )זאב‬and a lamb will… And a wolf (‫ )זאב‬will dwell with a lamb,
and a leopard will lie down with a goat,
and a calf and a young lion and a fat calf together,
and a little child will lead them,
… graze together (‫ )רעה‬and a cow and a bear will graze together (‫)רעה‬
their children will lie down,
and a lion will eat straw like an ox and a lion will eat straw like an ox,
and a serpent (‫)נחשׁ‬, dust (‫ )עפר‬will be his food and an infant will play by the hole of a cobra
and a baby will stretch out his hand to the den of a viper
+ Gen 3:15: “To the serpent (‫ )נחשׁ‬God said: ‘You are more
cursed than all the animals… on your belly you will go,
and you will eat dust (‫ )עפר‬all the days of your life.’”
they will not do any harm or destruction in all my they will not do any harm or destruction in all my holy
holy mountain, says Yahweh. mountain
66:1-6: Yahweh will bring judgment on his enemies

66:7-14: Yahweh will bring salvation to Zion
66:15-17: Yahweh will bring judgment on his enemies

66:19-21: The remnant of the nations who see God’s glory will go out and regather the exiles
to join them as fellow priests in the worship of Yahweh in the new creation.
• 66:18-21 is a recollection of key texts from earlier in the book that promised the
nations would bring back exiled Israelites to the new Jerusalem:
66:18-24 11:10-16 49:22-26 62:10-12
66:18-19 11:10-12 49:22 62:10
“I will gather all nations… “In that day, the root of Look, I will lift up my hand …prepare the way of the
and they will see my glory Jesse will stand as a signal to the nations, people; raise up, raise up a
(‫ ;)כבוד‬and I will set among (‫ )נס עמים‬for the peoples; and I will lift up my signal highway, remove the stones;
them a sign (‫)אות‬, and I will nations will seek him and (‫ )נס‬to the peoples, lift up a signal (‫)נס עמים‬
send out from them his resting will be glory and they will bring (‫)הביא‬ over the peoples;
survivors to the nations… (‫ ;)כבשד‬and Yahweh will your sons in the bosom,
and they will bring (‫ )הביא‬all again lift up his hand to and your daughters will be
your brothers from among acquire the remnant of his carried on the shoulder
all the nations…” people [among the nations]
… and he will lift a signal
(‫ )נס‬to the nations”
66:23 “and all flesh (‫)כל בשר‬ 49:26 “and all flesh (‫ )כל בשר‬62:11 Yahweh has
will come to worship before will know that I am Yahweh announced it to the ends of
me” your savior” the earth, say to the
daughter of Zion, “Look,
your salvation comes.”
The one adaptation in 66:19 is that the “banner” (‫ )נס‬of 11:10-12, 49:22-26, and 62:10-12 has been
changed to “sign” (‫ )אות‬in light of the strategic “sign” texts in Isaiah 1-55:
7:11, 14 Isaiah to Ahaz: “Ask for yourself a sign from Yahweh… Therefore the Lord himself will give
you a sign: Look, the young woman is pregnant and will give birth to a son, and you will call his
name Immanuel”
Tim Mackie !59
8:18 Isaiah: “Look, I and the children whom Yahweh has given me as signs and wonders in Israel
from Yahweh of Hosts who dwells in Mt. Zion.”
37:30 And this will be for the sign: eating this years harvest, and in the second year that year’s harvest,
and in the third year sow and harvest and plant vineyards and eat their fruit” (= 65:21)
38:22 Hezekiah to Isaiah: “What is the sign that I will go up to the house of Yahweh?”
55:13 And it will be for Yahweh as a name and as an eternal sign that will not be cut off”
• 66:22-23: The multi-ethnic priestly “seed” will endure forever in the new creation, and participate
in the universal worship of Yahweh.
• 66:24 describes those who forfeited their inheritance in the new creation/new Jerusalem. It does
so by utilizing images and phrases applied to “bad guys” from earlier in the book:
• The Assyrian soldiers: “they go out and look on the corpses (‫ ➞ ”)פגרים‬37:36 “and they
awoke in the morning and look, all of them [the Assyrian soldiers] were dead corpses
(‫”)פגרים‬
• The apostate Israelites: “those who rebel (‫ )פשׁעים‬against me” ➞ 1:28 “the sinners and the
rebels (‫ )פשׁעים‬will be broken”
• The king of Babylon: “their worm (‫)תועלה‬doesn’t die” ➞ 14:11, 19, 20 “under you [king of
Babylon] are spread out maggots, and the worm (‫ )תולעה‬will be your blanket… like a
trampled corpse (‫ …)פגר‬you will not be named for ever (‫)לעולם‬.”
• The land of Edom: “their fire doesn’t extinguish (‫ ➞ ”)כבה‬1:31 “they will burn together
and no one will extinguish (‫ )כבה‬and 34:10, “its land will be burning pitch, day and night it
will not extinguish (‫)כבה‬
“Old Testament texts do not first derive their truth from the New Testament. That would be totally
out of keeping with the spirit of Acts 8:34-35. Philip did not answer the Ethiopian eunuch, “This
word is fulfilled in Jesus!” Rather, he took Isaiah 53 as the starting point of his proclamation, which
in turn led him beyond this Scripture passage to point to the risen Jesus. His preaching about Jesus
Christ is, so to speak, a living continuation of the book of Isaiah.” — Bernd Janowski, “He Bore
Our Sins: Isaiah 53 and the Drama of Taking Another’s Place.”

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Tim Mackie !

The Book of Isaiah

Key Background to Isaiah: The Covenant story

The Plotline of Isaiah:

The Main Literary Movements in Isaiah

Key Historical Events/Dates Referred to in Isaiah

Isaiah 1: Literary Design and Themes

1:2-9: Accusation and metaphorical descriptions of judgment

1:10-20: Accusations about hypocritical worship and covenant violantion

1:21-26: Chiastic poem about Zion’s purification and restoration

A O how the faithful city (‫ )עיר נאמנה‬has become a prostitute” [1:21a]

1:27-31: Final depiction of future hope: Zion’s judgment ➞ Zion’s restoration

Isaiah 2-4: Literary Design and Themes

Restoration Zion’s purifying judgment Restoration

2:6-22: The “day of Yahweh” is coming to humble the proud (2:6-22)

3:16-41: Yahweh will judge the “proud daughters of Zion”

4:2-5: Yahweh will restore Zion

Isaiah 5-12: Literary Design and Themes

Isa 5:1-7: Song of the vineyard

Isa 5:8-24 + 25-30: 6 woe oracles + announcement of the attacking nation

• 5:30: shows signs of being a “compositional comment” (= fortschreibung): v.30 adopts

c. 6:11-13: There will be two stages to Yahweh’s judgment:

Stage 1: vs.11-12 Stage 2: vs.13

• Panel #1: 7:1-9

• Panel #2: 7:10-25

Israel’s Rebellion ➞ Time of Divine judgment ➞ Time of Divine salvation

9:8-10:4: The sin of Ahaz’ generation and the resulting judgment

• 9:13-17 “outstretched hand” poem #3

10:5-11:10 The Fall of Assyria and Salvation of the Remnant

Panel #1: Assyria’s pride and downfall

Panel #2: Assyria’s war and downfall

12:1-6: A new song for a new Exodus

Ch. 7 - Ch. 8 Ch. 9 Ch. 10 Chs. 11-12 Ch. 13-14

The “plan” of The “plan of Assyria’s “plan” God’s “plan” is to

Isaiah 40-66: Fall of

Isaiah 13-27: Literary Design and Themes

Chs. 13-14: Oracles against Babylon

Oracles against Babylon: Isaiah 13-14

o The metaphorical language of apocalyptic ‘invests historical-earthly events with heavenly

Chs.6-10 Chs. 13-14 13:17 > Chs.44-45

- Philistia: 14:28-32 [Redemptive hope in 14:32]

• Egypt: Judgment 19:1-15 [Redemptive hope in 19:16-25]

- Babylon and Jerusalem: chs.21-22

Isaiah 24-27: Literary Design & Main Themes

There are three kinds of poetic material interwoven in chapters 24-27:

• Clear cross references

• The Birth of Apocalyptic:

That the Lord will punish the host of heaven on high,

Like prisoners in the dungeon,

For you slew Leviathan the slippery serpent.

• The “Yahweh-as-dragon-slayer” motif is referenced numerous times in the Hebrew

Isaiah 28-35: Structure and Themes

the prophetic the prophetic the prophetic

Isaiah 36-39: Structure and Themes

Panel 1 — 36:1-37:7 Panel 2 — 37:8-38

Key emphases in this contrast:

• The Portrait of Hezekiah in chs. 36-37

Ch. 38: Hezekiah’s sickness and recovery

2 Kings 20:3-11 Isaiah 38:3-22

and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. 8And