9. Prophetic Narratives of Isaiah: Isa 3639

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9. Prophetic Narratives of Isaiah Isa 36-39

• BOT634 Exegesis of Isaiah

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Isaiah 36-39 in General

• 1. The four chapters of Isa 36-39 are repeated,
  almost word for word, from 2 Kgs 18.17-20.19. The
  only really major addition is in the psalm
  attributed to Hezekiah in 38.9-20." Clements,
  277

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Isaiah 36-39 in General

• 2. Chapters 36-39 conclude the section relating
  to Assyria and the question of trust which that
  nations presence on Judahs borders posed. They
  demonstrate that it is not necessary to revoke
  ones dependence on God and turn to human powers
  in order to survive. In this way they constitute
  a lived-out example of the truths taught in chs.
  13-35. The nations of mankind are under Gods
  hand he is their ruler and those who trust in
  him need not, indeed, must not, bow down to those
  nations. Oswalt, 629

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The A and B Narrative Theory

• In the first place it is clear that the major
  groundwork of the trilogy of stories is to be
  found in 36.1-37.38, which is usually described
  as narrative B, to distinguish it from the
  account of Hezekiahs surrender to Sennacherib in
  701 in 2 Kgs 18.13-16, which is described as
  narrative A. This latter was taken from the royal
  chronicles of Judah and incorporated into the
  Deuteronomic History (Jos. - 2 Kgs, cited as
  DtrG). However, narrative B is made up of two
  separate accounts which have been woven together
  (B1, consisting of 36.1-37.9a 37.37-38 B2,
  consisting of 37.9b-36).

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The A and B Narrative Theory

• It is evident that these two narratives were
  combined together into a whole as the end result
  of an extended process of growth, and they are
  remarkable for their portrayal of a dramatic
  defeat of Sennacheribs army by the angel of the
  LORD outside Jerusalem. This comes into conflict
  with the picture of Hezekiahs surrender given in
  narrative A." Clements, 278f.

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Historical Problems Introduction

• 1. "Sennacherib's campaign against Hezekiah in
  701 is well known. We have an unusually complete
  account of this event told from both sides - if
  indeed it was a single event. In part because of
  the very different interpretations put on it by
  the Biblical and the Assyrian sources, some have
  argued that there were actually two contexts
  between Sennacherib and Hezekiah and that the
  Assyrians won the first but lost the second."
  Hallo Simpson, Ibid., 142

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Historical Problems Summary of Biblical Material

• 2 Kgs 18.13-19.37 Isa 36.1-37.38 2 Chr
  32.1-32
  
• 1. 2 Kgs 18.13-16 In the 14th year of Hezekiah
  Sennacherib seized "all" the fortified cities of
  Judah and extracts a heavy tribute from Hezekiah.
  
• 2. 2 Kgs 18.17-37 Sennacherib sends three
  officials to Hezekiah and demands the surrender
  of the city.
  
• 3. 2 Kgs 19.1-7 Hezekiah sends for Isaiah and is
  reassured of God's help.
  
• 4. 2 Kgs 19.8-13 The Rabshekah returns to the
  Assyrian king who has left Lachish and is now at
  Libnah. Sennacherib sends a second message to
  Hezekiah after hearing about Tirhakah and demands
  surrender.

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Historical Problems Summary of Biblical Material

• 5. 2 Kgs 19.14-33 Hezekiah "spreads it out
  before YHWH" and Isaiah brings an oracle of
  salvation.
  
• 6. 2 Kgs 19.35-37 Angel of YHWH slays 185,000
  and Sennacherib goes back to Nineveh and is
  assassinated.

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Historical Problems Questions

• 1. Why did Sennacherib threaten to attack
  Jerusalem after being paid such a heavy tribute?
  
• 2. Why did the Rabshakeh make two trips to
  Jerusalem only to deliver the same message?
  
• 3. What happened in the Assyrian camp?

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Historical Problem Two Campaign Theory

• "...2 Kgs has telescoped the accounts of two
  campaigns, one in 701 (ch. 18.13-16), the other
  later (chs. 18.17 to 19.37). This view...suggest
  that while Sennacherib was engaged in subduing
  Babylon after his defeat by the Babylonians and
  the Elamites in 691, a further rebellion flared
  in the west, backed by Tirhakah, into which
  Hezekiah was drawn. Since Sennacherib disposed of
  Babylon in 689, he possibly moved against it in
  688, and it was then that the marvelous
  deliverance of Jerusalem took place. Hezekiah,
  however, was doubtless saved from further
  reprisals by his death approximately a year later
  (687/6). It is quite true that Assyrian
  inscriptions mention no such later campaign. But
  this can hardly be used as evidence one way or
  the other, since we have no historical records of
  any sort concerning the last years of
  Sennacherib's reign (after 689)." Bright, Ibid.,
  309

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Historical Problems Barnes' Conclusion

• "It was probably not long after the death of
  Sargon in 705 when Hezekiah helped to instigate a
  revolt in the Levant he formally withheld
  tribute from Assyria (2 Kgs 18.7), and prepared
  both his capital city and his military forces for
  war (2 Chr 32.3-5 cf. 2 Kgs 20.20). Meanwhile,
  soon after Sennacherib's own accession to the
  Assyrian throne, Merodach-baladan once again
  seized the Babylonian throne Assyrian efforts to
  dislodge him and to pacify the region (the goals
  of the first two campaigns of Sennacherib) lasted
  until 702. During this time, revolt continued to
  spread throughout Syria-Palestine possibly
  including Edom, Moab, and Ammon, certainly
  involving much of Phoenicia, and most notably,
  heavily involving both the state of Judah and the
  Philistine cities of Ashkelon and Ekron (where,
  possibly due to the Judahite pressure cf. 2 Kgs
  18.8, the citizenry deposed Padi, their
  pro-Assyrian king, and handed him over in chains
  to Hezekiah).

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Historical Problems Barnes' Conclusion

• It seems probable that pharaoh Shabako promised
  Egyptian military support to the rebels as well
  in any case, Hezekiah (over the strong objections
  of Isaiah the prophet) apparently relied upon the
  backing of Egypt as he continued to play a
  central role as one of the leaders of the revolt.
  By the spring of 701 Sennacherib was ready to
  march to the west. Quickly subduing Phoenicia, he
  moved down the coast to Philistia and punished
  Ekron especially severely for her insurrection.
  It is probably around this time that the battle
  of Eltekeh took place according to Sennacherib's
  annals, he overcame both forces from Egypt and
  from Nubia (it remains unclear, however, whether
  this battle corresponds with the Tirhakah
  reference in 2 Kgs 19.9). At any rate,
  Sennacherib was then able to turn his full
  attention toward Judah according to his annals
  he reduced some 46 Judahite cities and shut
  Hezekiah up in Jerusalem like a bird in a cage.'

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Historical Problems Barnes' Conclusion

• The fall of Lachish, although not specifically
  mentioned in the annals, must have been
  especially gratifying to the Assyrian king, for
  he later had it portrayed in striking detail on
  the palace reliefs in Nineveh. At one point (very
  possibly after the fall of Lachish and the
  initial? defeat of the Egyptians at Eltekeh),
  Hezekiah sued for peace. The terms were severe.
  Padi was eventually restored to his throne, and
  portions of western Judah were annexed to Ashdod,
  Ekron, and Gaza. Unhappily, both the Assyrian
  annals as well as the biblical narratives are
  unclear as to the final outcome of the campaign.
  Sennacherib did not claim that he captured
  Jerusalem rather he ends his annalistic entry
  with a description in loving detail of Hezekiah's
  tribute! As for the biblical narratives... they
  too become hazy. One thing, however, remains
  clear Jerusalem, although probably besieged, was
  not captured.

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Historical Problems Barnes' Conclusion

• Suspect that some sort of renewed Egyptian
  military activity may well have had something to
  do with this remarkable deliverance, although our
  sources are essentially mute. Indeed, a sudden
  outbreak of plague (quite possible in the hot
  Palestinian summer, especially in a location
  lacking a regular water supply), perhaps coupled
  with the threat (or actuality) of renewed
  Egyptian pressure may well have forced
  Sennacherib to break off the siege. At any rate,
  in the year 700 we find him campaigning
  elsewhere, once again against the ever resilient
  Merodach-baladan." Barnes, Ibid., 119-124

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THE ASSYRIAN THREAT 36.1-37.38

• THE RABSHAQEHS CHALLENGE 36.1-37.7
• 36.1-20 THE ULTIMATUM
• 36.21-37.7 RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE
• THE KINGS CHALLENGE 37.8-35
• 37.8-13 THE ROYAL LETTER
• 37.14-35 RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE
• 37.16-20 Hezekiahs prayer
• 37.21-35 Isaiahs Pronouncement
• THE ARMY OF ASSYRIA DESTROYED 37.36-38

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Where Does the OT refer to the Living God?

• The expression the living God is not among the
  most common divine designations of the Old
  Testament. It occurs 13 times in the Hebrew Old
  Testament and 2 times in the Aramaic section of
  Daniel Deut 526 Josh 3.10 1 Sam 17.26, 36 2
  Kgs 19.4, 16 Isa 37.4, 17 Jer 10.10 23.36 Hos
  1.10 2.1 Pss 42.2 3 84.2 3 Dan 6.20, 26
  Aram vv. 21, 27. In all passages we find either
  la or ylha (or Aram ahla) used for God.
• In addition to this 2 occurrences of the
  expression the Lord lives 2 Sam 22.47 Ps
  18.46 47. One should also note Job 19.25 (that
  my Redeemer lives).

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Where Does the OT refer to the Living God?

• The Old Testament contains some oath formulas in
  which Gods life is an element, that is, oaths
  of the type as the Lord lives. Such oaths occur
  67 times in the Old Testament. la and ylha occur
  only twice (in Job 27.2 and 2 Sam 2.27,
  respectively), while we meet the formula he who
  lives for ever once (Dan 12.7). YHWH dominates
  with 41 occurrences in such oaths (e.g., Judg
  8.19 1 Sam 14.39, 45 19.6). There are also 23
  occasions in which God swears by himself, that
  is, as I live. Mettinger, In Search of God, 91

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The Significance of the "Living God"

• The God of Israel was the living God. This
  confession demarcated Israelite thought form the
  conception of a dying and rising god whose
  cyclical biographical reflected the vegetational
  seasons, and which was ubiquitous in Israels
  surroundings.
• The characterization of YHWH as the living God
  does not signify that fertility and agricultural
  abundance were his preeminent manifestation.
  Rather, the field of expression of the living
  God was history. YHWH intervened in the fates of
  both individuals and nation. Mettinger, In
  Search of God, 90-91

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HUMAN LIMITS OF TRUST 38.1-39.8

• HEZEKIAHS ILLNESS 38.1-22
• 38.1-8 PROPHECY AND RESPONSE
• 38.9-20 HEZEKIAHS PSALM
• 38.21-22 ADDITIONAL NOTES
• BABYLONIAN SEDUCTION 39.1-8