4' Isaiah 15

1
4. Isaiah 1-5

• BOT634 Exegesis of Isaiah

2
Isaiah 1-12 in General

• 1. ...several striking points that frustrate a
  clear interpretation of the structure of these
  opening twelve chapters (1) two superscriptions
  (1.1 2.1) (2) delayed call narrative (chap. 6)
  (3) interruption of two series of refrains (woe
  5.8, 11, 18, 20, 21, 22 10.1 outstretched hand
  5.25 9.12, 17, 17, 21 10.4) and (4) Isa 2.1-4
  paralleled in Micah 4.1-4. Seitz,
  Interpretation Isaiah 1-39, 22-23

3
Isaiah 1

• "In the speech, the one finds the following
  elements
• (1) An accusation addressed to the people in an
  indirect form (2-3)
• (2) Direct address, confronting the people with
  their condition (4-9)
• (3) Divine instruction and divine admonition
  (10-17)
• (4) A divine invitation (18-20)." Hayes
  Irvine, Isaiah the Eighth Century Prophet His
  Live and Times, 70

4
Isaiah 1
5
Isaiah 1.1

• 1.1 Superscription
• ". . . the superscription may consist of a
  variety of elements, such as author, addressee,
  title, date, location. Tucker, G. M.
  Prophetic Superscriptions and the Growth of a
  Canon, Canon and Authority, eds. G. W. Coats and
  Burke O. Long, Philadelphia Fortress Press,
  1977, 58
• Without doubt, 1.1 is meant to be taken as a
  superscription for the entire book with all of
  its 66 chapters. Wildberger, H. , Isaiah
  1-12 A Commentary, trans. T. H. Trapp,
  Minneapolis Fortress Press, 1991, 2

6
Isaiah 1.2-3

• 1.2-3 Covenant Lawsuit
• Witnesses are summoned (1.2a)
• The chief litigant is announced (1.2b)
• His charges are given in brief (1.2c-3)
• The accused is named (1.3c).
• Deut 21.18-21 or Mic 6.1-2 1.2 Ps 50.4 Deut
  4.26 32

7
Isaiah 1

• 1.4-9 The Disaster military catastrophe in the
  Syro-Ephriamite War or the Great Earthquake of
  Amos 1.1? 745/4 or 734
• 1.10-17 Anti-cultic Prophecy?
• cf. Jer 6.20 7.21-23 1 Sam 15.22 Ps 51.18-19
  v16-17 Hos 6.6 Amos 5.21-24 Mic 6.6-8
• ". . . the condemned sacrifices all fall into the
  category of voluntary sacrifices." Hayes
  Irvine, Isaiah, the Eighth Century Prophet His
  Life and His Time, 75

8
Anti-Cult?

• Wildberger's Solutions
• 1. In the first place, consider the constant
  usage of the suffix k- your sacrifice, from
  your hands, your festivals, your solemn
  assemblies, the stretching out of your hands."
• 2. "Second, what apparently displeased Isaiah the
  most was the certainty which accompanied the
  cultic piety."
• 3. "The issue, therefore, in the polemic of the
  prophet is whether the breaking of the covenant
  can be healed by sacrifice or whether sacrifice
  has any meaning only within the context of an
  intact covenant relationship - not an attempt to
  replace the cultus by morality."

9
Isaiah 1

• Isaiah 1.18-20
• hx'k.W"nIwgt an"-Wkl. TNK Come, let us reach an
  understanding Wildberger Come, let us enter
  into a lawsuit, on against the other
• Covenant Curses dealing with war and its ravage
  Lev 26.17, 25, 33, 37 Deut 28.25, 49, 52 32.23,
  24, 30, 41, 42. Note the discussion and list of
  texts by Stuart, WBCHosea-Jonah, xxxi-xlii

10
Isaiah 1

• Isaiah 1.21-28 The Faithful City
• The speech that begins in Isaiah 1.21 and
  extends to 2.5 revolves around the subject and
  status of Zion. The prophet denounces the present
  ruling class in the city, reminding the people of
  Zions previous character and calling on them to
  live and act in the light of the claims made
  about the city in its own confession of faith.
  Hayes Irvine, Isaiah, the Eighth Century
  Prophet His Life and His Time, 79

11
Isaiah 1

• Isaiah 1.28-31 The End of False Religion
• The LXX translation of idols for )elm,
  oaks gives further evidence that the trees and
  gardens referred to were a part of idol worship.
  The reference may be to the sacred groves which
  were a part of the fertility cult of Baal and
  Ashtoreth, although the prophet may have in mind
  merely the worship of spirits assumed to inhabit
  trees. Oswalt, ibid., 110-111

12
Isaiah 2-4

• Isaiah 2-4 is clearly a composite unit. Its
  editors employed texts that were written for
  distinct purposes in various historical settings.
  The result is a composition that presents an
  ideal portrayal of Zions role as the center for
  YHWHs rule of all nations and then explains how
  Zion is to be prepared for this role. Sweeney,
  Marvin A., Isaiah 1-39 with an Introduction to
  Prophetic Literature, FOTL, p. 89
• A key element in this structure is the contrast
  between the ideal Zion presented in 2.2-4 and the
  current state of its people that must be overcome
  to achieve this ideal in 2.5-4.6. Sweeney,
  Marvin A., Isaiah 1-39 with an Introduction to
  Prophetic Literature, FOTL, p. 89

13
Isaiah 2.1

• 2.1 As Superscription introducing a new unit
• 2.2-4?
• 2.2-4.6?
• 2.2-12.6?

14
Isaiah 2.2-5 The Glory of Zion

• Micah 4.1-4 and Isaiah 2.2-4
• The present stage of this discussion has done
  away with the Micah or Isaiah as borrowing from
  the other, but that they both used a common
  tradition. In those cases where a decided
  similarity has been found, the evidence points
  rather in the direction of a common tradition or
  common speech forms which were available to
  them. Stansell, Micah and Isaiah A Form and
  Tradition Historical Comparison, 133

15
Zion-Sabaoth Theology

• 1. YHWH is King Pss 48.3 46.5 47.3 (of all
  the earth)
• 1.1 Earliest statement Ex 15.18 YHWH will
  reign forever and ever following this text is
  Deut 33.4-5
• 1.2 Problems of Kingship revolt motif in Ps
  2.1-3
• 2. YHWHs Choice of Jerusalem
• 2.1 Explicit Pss 78.68 132.13 (for dwelling)
• 2.2 Implicit Pss 46.5 48.2-3, 8-9 87.2
• 2.3 Topography high mountain and river
• 2.4 Security Pss 46.7,8 48.4 (stronghold)

16
Zion-Sabaoth Theology

• 3. Enemy
• 3.1 Ps 46.2-4 unruly sea
• 3.2 Pss 46.7 48.5-7 76.6-8 kings and nations
  Also note Isa 17.12-14 and Isa 8
• 3.3 Shift in Isa 2.1-5 Mic 4.1-3
• 4. YHWHs Rebuke Pss 46.7 76.7, 9 (Amos 1.2
  Joel 4.16)

17
Zion-Sabaoth Theology

• 5. Implications for Inhabitants
• 5.1 Only those who meet Gods righteous standards
  can live in his presence Isa 33.13-16 Ps 24.3-4
• 5.2 Inhabitants and King have a duty to building
  Gods house Hag 1.2-11
• 5.3 Those inhabitants who are fit to live with
  God will rejoice in the security and abundant
  life that YHWHs presence brings Pss 48.12-14
  132.13-18.

18
Isaiah 2.2-5

• 2.3 hrwt (torah) does not mean Gods system of
  justice in Isaiah, but rather instruction in
  the sense found in Deut 17.11, where the term is
  used parallel to jpvm (a decision which is
  pronounced). Wildberger, ibid., 91
• 2.4 In place of weapons, instruments of peaceful
  agriculture are fashioned instead of fear of
  war, the peoples are filled with a feeling of
  security, in which there is no longer any place
  for a spirit among them which seeks war.
  Wildberger, ibid., 93

19
Isaiah 2.6-22 Humiliation of the Proud

• 2.6-11 The Cause of the Problem
• 1. Foreign Superstition 2.6b (Lev 19.26 Deut
  18.19-14 )
• 2. Reliance on Wealth 2.7
• 3. Idolatry 2.8
• 4. Pride 2.9-11 (2.17, 19, 21)
• 2.12-22 The Day of Yahweh
• 2.12-17 Expansion of prior theme
• 2.18-21 The Outcome
• 2.22 Conclusion

20
The Day of Yahweh

• I. MAJOR PASSAGES
• A. Explicit references Isa 2.6-22 13.1-22
  22.1-14 34.1-8 Jer 46.1-12 Eze 7.1-27 Joel
  1.1-20 2.1-17 2.28-32 3.1-4 3.1-21 4.1-21
  Amos 5.18-20 Oba 15-21 Zeph 1.2-18 3.9-20
  Zech 14.1-21.
• B. Lacks the technical terms but related Isa
  24-27 Jer 4.23-31 50-51 Eze 38-39

21
The Day of Yahweh

• II. Hoffmanns Two Principles
• Hoffmann, The Day of the Lord as a Concept and
  a Term in the Prophetic Literature, ZAW 93, pp.
  37-50
• A. The investigation should start with Amos
  5.18-20.
• B. We must not draw conclusions about an earlier
  text from a later one.

22
The Day of Yahweh

• III. MAJOR INTERPRETATIONS
• A. von Rad von Rad, The Origin of the Concept
  of the Day of the Yahweh, JSS, 4, pp. 97-108
  Old Testament Theology, Vol II, pp. 119-125 Holy
  War in Ancient Israel He is convinced that 'the
  Day of Yahweh' encompasses a pure event of war,
  the rise of Yahweh against his enemies, his
  battle and his victory
• B. Mowinckel Mowinckel, He that Cometh For him
  the Day of Yahweh originally means the day of
  Yahwehs manifestation in the cult at the New
  year Festival.

23
The Day of Yahweh

• C. Gray Gray, The Day of Yahweh in Cultic
  Experience and Eschatological Prospect, SEA, 39,
  pp. 5-37 The Biblical Doctrine of the Reign of
  God J. Gray, has argued effectively that the
  Day of Yahweh signified essentially the moment
  of the epiphany as King, which was the highlight
  of the autumn festival

24
Isaiah 3-4

• 3.1-4.1 focuses on the punishment of Jerusalem
  and Judah
• 4.2-6 focuses on the salvation of the remnant of
  the people in Zion
• 3.1-11 THE COMING ANARCHY
• 3.12 LAMENT FOR THE PEOPLE
• 3.13-15 CONDEMNATION OF THE RULERS
• 3.16-4.1 JUDGMENT UPON THE PROUD WOMEN OF
  JERUSALEM

25
Isaiah 3.18-24

• Of these 13 jewelry items, 4 are associated in
  some way in the Bible with women, 8 more
  accurately relate to men of high rank. It is
  possible that women had versions of the items
  also, but at present the evidence is not
  convincing that these jewelry pieces were
  exclusively the property of women at any one
  historical period. A similar method of analysis
  applied to the 8 clothing items that follow in
  the catalogue (nos. 1421) indicates at least 4
  are associated with men of rank. Consequently,
  the interpretation of the passage must shift from
  a prophetic oracle denouncing women in general
  for the vain superficiality of extravagant
  fashions in dress and jewelry to a critique of
  persons in high office for their social injustice
  and misuse of power as is the topic of the entire
  collection of oracles in Isaiah 3. Freedman,
  David Noel, ed., The Anchor Bible Dictionary,
  (New York Doubleday) 1997, 1992., s. v.
  Jewelry.

26
Isaiah 3-4

• Evidence in the text, as well as the speechs
  location in the book (before the death of Uzziah,
  noted in 6.1), points to a general historical
  period for the speechs deliverance. Jerusalem
  and its female citizens seem to be or have
  recently been prosperous, and the city does not
  appear to be facing any external threat. The
  references to the fugitives of Israel in 4.2,
  who take refuge in Jerusalem, point to the period
  after the outbreak of civil war in Israel. About
  745, Shallum led a conspiracy that wiped out the
  dynasty of Jehu, but he and his supporters were
  opposed by Menahem, who, after a period of bloody
  civil strife, was able to ascend and secure the
  throne in Samaria (see 2 Kgs 15.8-16). Hayes
  Irvine, Isaiah, the Eighth Century Prophet His
  Life and His Time, 92-93

27
Isaiah 4.2-6

• N.B. that the unit 2.1-4.6 begins and ends with a
  "promise" section.
• In describing the day of Yahweh that is, the
  day of the earthquake Isaiah uses in that day
  in referring to the past. In fact, Isaiah may be
  describing some aspects of life in 4.2-3 which
  already exist. Fugitives of Israel may have
  already moved south into Judah, and may have
  taken up residence in Jerusalem. If in that day
  has a future reference, then Isaiah is here
  advocating a position that would allow some
  Israelites to settle in the Judean capital.
  Hayes Irvine, Isaiah, the Eighth Century
  Prophet His Life and His Time, 96

28
Isaiah 4.2-6

• "the branch of the LORD . . . ."
• ...here the xmc is of hwhy Yahweh, not David.
  The Parallel is rah yrp the fruit of the land.
  The words in the context refer to Yahwehs plans
  and purpose in their entirety. Watts, WBC
  Isaiah 1-33, 49
• "the survivors of Israel"
• See 1.3 2.5 the fate of the Northern Kingdom

29
Isaiah 5-12

• The structure of this block is determined by its
  instructional or explanatory character insofar as
  it announces judgement against Israel and Judah
  in 5.1-30 and then proceeds to explain the
  significance, cause, and outcome of that judgment
  throughout the balance of the unit in 6.1-12.6.
  Sweeney, Marvin A., Isaiah 1-39 with an
  Introduction to Prophetic Literature, FOTL, p.
  114

30
Isaiah 5.1-7 Song of the Vineyard

• Basic Form
• "love song"? "friends song"? Complaint /
  Accusation?
• 5.4 "I will also command the clouds that they
  rain no rain upon it"
• 5.7b He expected justice (jpvml),
• But saw bloodshed (xpfm)
• righteousness (hqdcl),
• but head a cry (hqc)!

31
Isaiah 5.8-24 Doom upon Jerusalem's Leaders

• The connection of 5.8-24 and 10.1-4a
• Woe Oracles three major clusters Isa 58, 11,
  18, 20, 21, 22 101 Amos 518 61, 4 and Hab
  29, 12, 15, 19.
• Westermann argues that they were originally
  curses
• Gerstenberger has posited a "wisdom" setting
• Clifford, Wanke, and Williams stress an original
  funerary ritual of mourning and lamentation.

32
Isaiah 5.8-24 Doom upon Jerusalem's Leaders

• Hillers, Hôy and Hôy-Oracles A Neglected
  Syntactic Aspect, The Word of the Lord Shall Go
  Forth, eds. Meyers and O'Connor
• "First it seems possible to understand the syntax
  of a significant number of hôy oracles in a
  rather new way, with a vocative at the beginning
  and direct address continued throughout."
  Hillers, Ibid., 187
• "Second, questions as to the life-situation of
  hôy and hôy-speeches are affected. If a good many
  of these speeches contain direct address, it is
  difficult to connect them with a supposedly
  impersonal wisdom. Furthermore, recognition of a
  prominent vocative element would seem to tie
  these speeches more closely to other elements of
  address in the prophets such as imû hear ye
  and to loosen any special tie to funeral
  laments." Hillers, Ibid., 187

33
Isaiah 5.8-24 Doom upon Jerusalem's Leaders

• 5.8-10 1st Woe - Joining House and Fields (1
  Kgs 21 Lev 25.33, etc.)
• 5.11-13 2nd Woe - Partying Drinking (Isa
  22.12-14 28.7-8 Amos 4.1-3)
• 5.14-17 Expansion of 12b

34
Isaiah 5.8-24 Doom upon Jerusalem's Leaders

• 5.18-19 3rd Woe Dragging iniquity /sin
• 5.20 4th Woe Call evil good
• 5.21 5th Woe Wise in ones own eyes
• 5.22-23 6th Woe Drunkenness distorting
  justice
• 5.24 Conclusion - Complete breakdown in the
  relationship with Yahweh

35
Isaiah 5.25-30 Continuing Anger of Yahweh

• The refrain of Isaiah 525-30 and 97-104
• William P. Brown, The So-Called Refrain in
  Isaiah 525-30 and 97-104, Catholic Biblical
  Quarterly 52 (1990) 432-443 argues that it is
  original to 5.25b and a refrain in 9.7-10.4
• 5.25ff. The nation will be identified in chap. 7
  as Assyria. The description of Assyrian military
  discipline and tactics is accurate. The notice of
  King Uzziahs death in 6.1 suggests that a time
  before that is intended here. Tiglath-Pileser III
  was already known in Palestine. Menahem and
  possibly Uzziah were involved in stopping his
  invasion of the West in 738 BC. Watts, Ibid.,
  64