10. Comfort My People: The Message of Isaiah 4055

1
10. Comfort My People! The Message of Isaiah
40-55

• BOT634 Exegesis of Isaiah

2
Historical Context Differs from Isaiah 1-39

• 1. "The historical context of chaps. 40-55
  differs entirely from that of chaps. 1-39. The
  enemy of Israel is the Neo-Babylonian Empire
  (626-539 BCE cf. chaps 46 47 48.20-21), not
  the Neo-Assyrian Empire of Isaiah (735-612 BCE
  cf. chaps 10 14.24-27), which collapsed with the
  destruction of Nineveh in 612 BCE. The gentile
  king in chaps 40-55 is Cyrus of Persia (cf.
  560-530 BCE cf. 41.2-3, 25 44.24-45.13 48.14),
  not the Assyrian king of Isaiah (10.5-19). The
  people are in Babylon, not Isaiah's 8th-century
  Jerusalem the message is to leave Babylon, cross
  the desert, and return to Zion." Clifford,
  "Isaiah, Book of (Second Isaiah)," ABD, III, 490

3
Date The Historical-Critical Approach

• 1. "Though they provide little biographical
  information, the speeches do permit fairly
  precise dating. They assume that the readers or
  hearers know that Cyrus, king of Persia, will
  soon conquer the Babylonian Empire. Such an
  assumption was only possible after Cyrus deposed
  his sovereign Astyages in 550 BCE, incorporating
  Media into the Persian Empire, and conquered
  Lydia in 546 BCE. That conquest, along with the
  palpable decline of the Babylonian Empire,
  signaled one of those great changes of fortunes
  that every so often reshaped the ancient Near
  East. The speeches do not mention the entry of
  Cyrus' army into Babylon in 539 BCE. The speeches
  were therefore given in the 540's BCE."
  Clifford, Ibid., 492

4
Date The Historical-Critical Approach

• 2. "Deutero-Isaiah evidently belong to the
  closing years of the exile, for he refers to the
  destruction of Jerusalem, the rule of Babylonia
  over the whole inhabited earth, and Israel's
  captivity in Mesopotamia - but also the rise of
  the Persian conqueror, Cyrus. Whether he also
  presupposes Cyrus' victory over the Lydian king
  Croesus in 547 or not, is open to discussion. At
  all events, the conquest of Babylonia by the
  Persians (539) is still in the future so the
  prophet must be dated between 550 and 540 BCE."
  Koch, The Prophets II The Babylonian and
  Persian Periods, 119

5
Location

• 1. "It is reasonably assumed, because of the
  immediacy of his preaching, that the prophet
  lived in Babylon, in one of several exiled Jewish
  communities of the time. His message consistently
  is addressed to the Babylonian community (cf.
  48.20 52.11-12 chaps. 46 47), inviting them to
  join him in a new Exodus-Conquest (esp.
  49.1-12)." Clifford, Ibid., 492

6
Location

• 2. "Probably Deutero-Isaiah preached among the
  deported Judaeans in one of their Babylonian
  camps. This would explain his familiarity with
  Babylonian divination (43.13) and with the
  Chaldaean processional roads (40.3-5), and the
  ceremonial ships of their gods, which sailed
  along the Tigris and Euphrates at the great
  annual festival (43.14). On the other hand he
  never goes into any detail about conditions in
  the home country of Judah." Koch, Ibid., 119

7
Location

• 3. "It is not accurate... to say that chapter
  forty and the following chapters are directed to
  the people in exile, for they are not yet in
  Babylon. Isaiah, rather, through the spirit of
  prophecy sees the time when his people will
  suffer bondage, for the exhortation to patience
  and faith found in these chapters show that the
  final fulfillment of the promise was in the
  future." Young, The Book of Isaiah, Vol III,
  17-18

8
Author Historical Critical Approach

• 1. "Next to nothing is known of the author of
  chs. 40-55 and the external facts of his life.
  Even his name is lost to us. He is commonly
  designated as Second Isaiah' because his words
  found refuge in the book which contains the
  oracle of Isaiah of Jerusalem (ca. 738-697
  BCE).... He has been called the most impersonal
  of all prophets, but there is not one whom we
  should less expect to be so impersonal as he."
  Muilenburg, The Interpreter's Bible Isaiah
  40-66, 397

9
Author Isa 40.6-7 (Westermann)

• 1. "Deutero-Isaiah regarded himself as the lineal
  descendant of the pre-exilic prophets. This is
  shown, first, by the fact that, in substantiation
  of his message he adduces a call, and, second,
  that like Isaiah and Jeremiah, his first reaction
  is to shrink from it."
• 2. "Deutero-Isaiah completely identified himself
  with his fellow-countrymen. For when he demurred
  at the summons to preach, his reluctance was not
  the expression of his own personal lament, but of
  that of his fellow-exiles (as the gloss, surely
  the people is grass,' rightly understood it)."

10
Author Isa 40.6-7 (Westermann)

• 3. "...Deutero-Isaiah's preaching is throughout
  simply the putting forth of this word that was
  now being spoken."
• 4. "The cry, the grass withers, the flower
  fade', in 40.7 is taken from the Psalter (e.g.,
  Ps. 90). A leading characteristic of
  Deutero-Isaiah's prophecy lies in this affinities
  with the diction of this book."
• Westermann, OTL Isaiah 40-66, 7-8

11
Poetic Form Style Lyrical

• 1. "The intensity of the prophet's thought and
  feeling is expressed in many ways. He lifts his
  voice in exulting triumph as he sees the approach
  of Israel's conquering Lord. He breaks into
  ecstatic hymns again and again as the event takes
  place before his enraptured eyes (cf. 42.10-13
  44.23 45.8 49.13). The theme of redemption
  almost invariably stirs him to songs of praise.
  He who calls upon Israel to sing is himself
  Israel's most exultant singer (52.7-12 54.1-10).
  The contemplation of creation, as of redemption,
  kindles in him the impulse to praise and glorify
  God. When he lowers his eyes from his vision to
  the actual conditions among his people, he is
  stirred to words of vehement judgment.

12
Poetic Form Style Lyrical

• Yet his compassion creates some of the most
  moving lines in the whole of scripture (43.1-4
  44.21-22 48.18-19 49.14-16 54.6-8). In the
  confessions of 50.4-9 and 53.1-9 he portrays a
  figure of inexpressible poignancy.... Above all,
  his lyrical gifts are always under girded by a
  profundity of religious faith and a
  self-identification with his time which gives
  them the power they have." Muilenburg, Ibid.,
  386

13
Poetic Form Style Assonance

• 1. Meant to be read aloud.
• 2. Classification of assonances in the poetry
• 2.1 Onomatopoeia (40.1a 42.14cd 47.2a, 14ab
  53.4-6)
• 2.2 Paronomasia (40.11 41.5a 43.24a 45.9b
  53.10b 54.6ab)
• 2.3 Alliteration (40.6 47.1)
• 2.4 Approximations to rhyme (41.11-13 49.10cd
  53.6ab)
• 2.5 Dominance of a single sound throughout a line
  (40.2cd 54.1)
• 2.6 Two successive words with similar sounds
  (40.12ab 41.1ab, 17a 45.9c, 20e 50.4e 54.8a) 
• 2.7 Lines beginning and ending with the same
  sound (49.13ab 53ab)

14
Poetic Form Style Dramatic Style

• 1. "He portrays vividly dramatic scenes, such as
  the council in heaven (40.1-11), the trial of the
  nations (41.1-42.4) and numerous other trials
  scenes (43.8-13, 26 44.7 45.20-24 48.15-16
  50.8-9), the exodus of Babylon's gods (46.1-13),
  the dethronement of imperial Babylon to serfdom
  (47.1-15), the coming of Yahweh as King
  (52.7-10)." Muilenburg, Ibid., 387

15
Poetic Form Style Dramatic Style

• 2. "The dramatic style of the poems is well
  illustrated by the use of rhetorical devices of
  many kinds. A good example is the use of the word
  behold' (hnh or !h). At the dramatic climax of
  the introductory poem on the coming of the Lord,
  God is presented upon the stage of world history
  with a threefold behold' (40.9-10) the servant
  is introduced in a crucial context in a similar
  fashion (42.1), and again at the beginning of the
  great climatic poem of 52.13-53.12. The nations
  first appear with the use of the word (40.15).
  Often the word introduces judgments, sometimes in
  trail scenes (41.11, 15, 24, 29), at other times
  as climaxes (47.14 51.22c-23).

16
Poetic Form Style Dramatic Style

• Most interesting of all is the remarkable use of
  the word in ch. 50, where it serves to outline
  the structure of the poem and give it its moving
  effects (vv. 1e, 2e, 9a, 9b, 11). Notably, too,
  it introduces the announcement of the
  eschatological new event (42.9 49.12-13, 22-23
  51.22c-23 54.11c-15, 16-17 55.4-5)."
  Muilenburg, Ibid., 387

17
Poetic Form Style Imagery

• 1. "The most revealing feature of the poet's
  style is his use of imagery. The predilection of
  Oriental poetry for visualizing imagery is
  present in an unusual degree. The distinction
  between the literal and figurative meaning of a
  symbol is not biblical. The symbolic meaning
  participates in the figure itself." Muilenburg,
  Ibid., 388

18
Imagery God

• 1. Conqueror, a man of war prepared to enter
  battle (42.13).
• 2. A woman in travail panting in her birth pangs
  (42.14).
• 3. The destroyer laying waste mountains and hills
  and all fertility (43.15).
• 4. The leader of the blind (43.16).
• 5. The king ushering in his kingdom (42.10
  52.7).
• 6. The Judge adjudicating the inequities of the
  past (40.10 41.1-42.4 43.8-13 48.14-16).

19
Imagery God

• 7. The husband (54.5).
• 8. Father of Israel (50.1).
• 9. The Creator and fashioner of the universe and
  of Israel (40.22, 28 43.1).
• 10. Covenant Lord, Redeemer and Holy One of
  Israel....

20
Imagery Jerusalem Zion

• 1. YHWH's bride (49.18 54.5 cf. 62.5)
• 2. Barren (54.1)
• 3. Forsaken (54.6-7)
• 4. though not Divorced (50.1)
• 5. but blessed with many children (51.1-3)
• 6. Mother (49.17, 22-23 51.18-20)
• 7. bereft of her sons (49.20-21 51.20)
• 8. granted new sons more than before (49.20-21)
  cf. 60.4-5).

21
Imagery Israel

• 1. Blind and deaf (42.16, 18-20).
• 2. intoxicated from the heavy draught of wine
  (51.17-18, 21.22).
• 3. Refined and tested in the furnace of
  affliction (48.10).
• 4. "She is God's chosen one, his called one, his
  witness, his son, fashioned and called from the
  womb, the servant of the Lord." Muilenburg,
  Ibid., 388

22
Poetic Form Style Rhetorical Devices

• 1. The use of strong contrasts, often in
  figurative form.
• 1.1 "Thus the worm Israel becomes YHWH's
  threshing sledge. The queen of empire is degraded
  to grind at the mill. The peoples are like drop
  in the bucket before God. Abraham was but one,
  yet God make of him a mighty nation from the
  quarry of Sarah and Abraham, Israel grew to be a
  people." Muilenburg, Ibid., 388

23
Poetic Form Style Rhetorical Devices

• 2. The use of the interrogative.
• 2.1 Complete pericopes 40.12-31 and 50.1-11.
• 2.2 Use of interrogative pronouns "who" 40.12,
  13, 14, 18, 25, 26 41.2-4, 26 42.19x2, 23,
  24 43.9 48.14 49.21 50.8x2, 9
  51.12-19x2 53.1, 8 "what" 40.18 45.9,
  10x2 Interrogative adverb "why" 40.27 55.2
  "where" 40.13, 15.
• 2.3 "Often the questions appear in extended
  series, sometimes in triadic form, sometimes as
  brief queries. These question often provide an
  essential key to an understanding of the formal
  construction of many of the poems. The use of the
  questions is also part of the dialogical style
  which characterizes our poet to an extraordinary
  degree." Muilenburg, Ibid., 388

24
Poetic Form Style Rhetorical Devices

• 3. Fondness for the use of quotations.
• 3.1 "Sometimes they are only a single word
  (40.6a 41.26b 42.22e 43.6a, 6b, 9-10 44.5c),
  more often a brief clause (40.6b, 9g 41.13cd
  42.17d 44.5a, 26c, 26de, 27ab, 28ab 45.9c, 9d,
  10a, 10b, 19d, 24ab 47.7a, 10b, 10e 49.3, 4, 6
  51.16b) sometimes they contain two or three
  lines (40.27cd 47.8def)." Muilenburg, Ibid.,
  389
• 3.2 Some are fully developed utterances
• 4. Lavish Use of Imperatives.

25
Poetic Form Style Rhetorical Devices

• 5. Repetition Muilenburg, Ibid., 389
• 5.1 "Repetition of single words comfort,
  comfort' (40.1) behold, behold them' (41.27)
  I, I" (43.11, 25 48.15) for my on sake, for
  my own sake' (48.11) awake, awake' (51.9,
  52.1) rouse yourself, rouse yourself' (51.17)
  depart, depart' (52.11). Cf. also 57.6, 14, 19
  62.10 65.1."
• 5.2 Repetition of particles, etc., in immediate
  context that, Hebrew yk (40.2cdex3) behold'
  (40.9g, 10a, 10c) who,...who,...whom'
  (40.12-14) scarcely' (40.24) when,' Hebrew yk
  (43.2-3) no' or none' (43.11-12 51.1c, 2a,
  9c, 10a) for' (54.4-5) etc.

26
Poetic Form Style Rhetorical Devices

• 5.3 "Repetition of single words or phrases in
  immediate context evangelist Zion,...evangelist
  Jerusalem' (40.9) his arm,... his arms'
  (40.10-11) lift up your voice... lift it up'
  (40.9) I will carry' (46.4b, 4d) sit in the
  dust,...sit on the ground' (47.1) shall come to
  you...shall come upon you' (47.9) perhaps'
  (47.12) All we... of us all' (53.6) he opened
  not his mouth' (53.7) to the peoples,... for
  the peoples' (55.4)."
• 5.4 "Repetition of several different words in
  immediate context 40.13-14, 28-31 46.3-4
  58.3-5, 6-8."
• 5.5 "Repetition of words at the beginning of
  lines behold' (40.15) use of h-interrogative
  (40.21-23) not' (43.22-24b) cf. 44.26c-28c
  51.2c-3b 55.8-10b."

27
Poetic Form Style Rhetorical Devices

• 5.6 "Threefold repetition of a single word within
  a strophe strengthen' (41.6-7) declare'
  (41.25-27) justice' (42.1-4) and many others."
• 5.7 "Repetitions in chiastic arrangement 43.19d,
  20d, 25ab, 27 44.1a, 2c 46.1a, 2a 51.6fg,
  8cd."
• 5.8 "Repetitions at the beginnings of successive
  or neighboring strophes A voice...' (40.3, 6)
  who has...' (40.12, 13) To whom...'
  (40.18.25) Have you not known?' (40.21, 28)
  Hearken to me' (51.1, 4,, 7) cf. also 51.9, 17
  52.1."
• 5.9 "Repetition of key words throughout a poem
  cry' or proclaim' (40.1-11) fear...strengthen.
  ..help' (41.5-16) sit' and come' (47.1-15)."

28
Poetic Form Style Rhetorical Devices

• 5.10 "Repetition of crucial clauses, etc. Fear
  not' (41.10, 13, 14 43.1, 5 44.2 54.4) I am
  the first, and I am the last' (41.4 44.6 48.12
  cf. 43.10) I am the LORD, and there is no
  other' (45.5, 6, 18, 22 46.9) Redeemer and
  Holy One' (41.14 43.14 48.17 49.7 54.5)."
• 5.11 "Repetition of major motifs throughout the
  collection the arm of YHWH the way of YHWH
  YHWH, creator of heaven and earth the creator of
  Israel YHWH as Redeemer, as Holy One, as Holy
  One and Redeemer the transformer of nature, the
  return of YHWH to Zion, etc."

29
Literary Types Forms

• 1. Trial Speech
• 1.1 Texts 41.1-42.9 43.9-44.5 44.6-23 45.21.
• 1.2 Ideal Structure

30
Literary Types Forms

• 2. Salvation Oracle
• 2.1 Joachim Begrich priesterliche Heilsorakel
• 2.1.1 Ideal structure "(1) the assurance of
  Yahweh's intervention (usually the subject is
  Yahweh and the verb is perfect) (2) clauses
  expressing the consequences of divine
  intervention and the reversal of the situation
  and (3) the aim (the glory or acknowledgment of
  Yahweh)." Clifford, Ibid., 497
• 2.1.2 Texts 41.8-13, 14-16, 17-20 42.14017
  43.1-7, 16-21 44.1-5, 14-17 46.3-4, 12-13
  48.17-19 49.7, 8-12 MT 13, 14-21, 22-23,
  24-26 51.6-8, 12-16 54.4-6, 7-10, 11-12 and
  13b, 14a and 13a-17 55.8-13.

31
Literary Types Forms

• 2.2 Westermann
• 2.2.1 Proclamation of Salvation
• 2.2.1.2) Given in response to the communal
  lament.
• 2.2.1.2 Structure "(1) an allusion to the
  collective lament (e.g., the poor and the needy
  are seeking water, there is none' 42.17) (2)
  the proclamation of salvation (a) God turns
  toward Israel (b) God's intervention (specific,
  not general) and (3) the final goal." Clifford,
  Ibid., 497
•  2.2.1.3 Westermann argues that it is only found
  in Second Isaiah 41.17-20 42.14-17 43.16-21
  46.12-13 49.7-12, 14-26 53.1-6, 7-8, 914,
  17-23 54.7-10, 11-17 55.1-5.

32
Literary Types Forms

• 2.2.2 Oracle of Salvation
• 2.2.2.1 Oracle of salvation is given in response
  to an individual lament.
• 2.2.2.2 Texts 42.8-13, 14-16 43.1-4, 5-7
  44.1-5 54.4-6.
• 3. Disputation Speeches (40.12-31 45.9-13
  46.5-11 48 49.14-26).
• 4. Taunt Song (chap 47).
• 5. Herald's Message (40.9-11 52.7-10).
• 6. Satire (44.9-22).

33
Literary Types Forms

• 7. Confession (50.4-9 53.1-9).
• 8. Hymnic style (40.12-26, 27-31 44.23
  48.20-21 49.13 42.10-13 Pss 47 93 96-99).
• 9. Lament (49.14-21 53.1-9).
• 10. Note the lack of invection and threat.

34
Poetic Form Style Triads

• 1. "Another indication of the rhetorical style of
  Second Isaiah is the copious use of words,
  phrases, sentences, and larger units in triadic
  form. The purpose of this device is to bring the
  thought to a climax or give special emphasis to
  the culminating member." Muilenburg, Ibid., 390
• 2. Single particle in triad "for" (40.2
  55.8-9) "behold" (40.9-10) the negative
  interrogative (40.21) others 41.26cd 43.2-3
  46.11cd 48.8 44.5 49.12.

35
Poetic Form Style Triads

• 3. Key words in triad 41.21-23 41.5-7 42.1-4.
• 4. Single line triads 43.3ab, 15 44.6.
• 5. Larger triadic complexes 42.2-4 42.23-24b,
  24cde 43.1de 43.4ab, 9ef, 10cd, 12a 45.20, 21
  48.3 51fabc, 6cde 52.7cde.

36
The Message of Isaiah 40-55
37
The Central Message 40.1-8

• 1. The exiled people are to take heart because
  their sins have now been expiated and their term
  of punishment is over (verses 1-3). Whybary,
  The Second Isaiah, 45
• 2. Yahweh is now about to come to the aid of his
  people in such a decisive fashion that the whole
  world will be astonished at this revelation of
  his glory (verses 3-5). Whybary, The Second
  Isaiah, 45
• 3. The guarantee of this message of hope and
  restoration is the word of Yahweh spoken through
  the prophet, which is all-powerful, and compared
  with which all human activity is ludicrously
  impotent (verses 6-8). Whybary, The Second
  Isaiah, 45

38
Supporting Arguments

• 1. Cyrus 44.24-45.7 41.1-5 41.21-29 45.9-13
  46.9-11 48.12-16 and probably 42.5-7.
• 2. The Appeal to History
• 2.1 Creation tradition Flood 54.9-10
• 2.2 Abraham 48.18-19 (Gen 22.17 and Jacob in
  Gen 32.12) 51.1-3 41.8 (with Jacob).
• 2.3 Jacob 43.27 Your first father sinned.
  (Hos 12.3-5)
• 2.4 Exodus 43.43-21 52.11-12 51.10
• 2.5 Divine Guidance during the journey through
  the wilderness 52.11-12 43.19-21 (40.3-5
  9-11)
• 2.6 David 55.1-5

39
Supporting Arguments

• 3. Israels Suffering 42.18-25 43.22-24
• 4. Yahweh as Creator and only God 40.12-31 Only
  God 43.10-13 (44.6-8 44.24 45.5 46.9 51.6)
  right as creator 45.9-13 Promise to rebuild
  54.16-17 efficacy of the prophetic word
  45.18-19.
• 5. Argument from Prophecy 41.21-29 43.8-13.
• 6. The Argument from idol worship (Exod 20.4-6
  Deut 5.8-10) manufacture 40.19-20 41.6-7
  44.9-20 Uselessness of idols 46.1-4.
• 7. The Redeeming God
• 8. Vicariousness of the Servant in Isa 52.13-53.12