First Isaiah

1
(First) Isaiah

• HUMA 3810

2
Structure of the Book

• First Isaiah Chaps. 1-39
• 8th century prophet responding to Assyrian crisis
• Second or Deutero-Isaiah Chaps. 40-55
• Mid-6th century prophet in Babylon (exilic)
• Third Isaiah Chaps. 56-66
• Late 6th century prophet in Judah (post-exilic)

3
Historical Background of the First Isaiah

• Two Crises
• Syro-Ephraimite War (734-733 BCE)
• Ahaz, Tiglath-pileser III, Ben-Tabeel
• Assyrian siege of Jerusalem (701 BCE)
• Hezekiah Sennacherib

4
Selected Passages 1

• Covenant lawsuit Isa 12 ff.
• Prophecies concerning the future of Judah Isa
  21 ff.
• Song of the Vineyard Isa 51-7
• Assyria Isa 525-29 105 ff.
• Call narrative Isa 6
• Syro-Ephraimite War Isa 7-8 (Rezin Pekah vs.
  Ahaz)
• Oracles against the nations Isa 13-23
• Sign-act (Isaiahs nakedness) Isa 20
• Against provisioning of Jerusalem Isa 2210-11
• Against Shebna 2215-25

5
The Royal Steward Inscription
6
Selected Passages 2

• Naming as sign-act Isa
• Shear-yashuv Isa 73
• Maher-shalal-hash-baz Isa 81
• Immanuel Isa 714
• Isaianic Apocalypse Isa 24-27
• Miscellaneous oracles Isa 28-32
• Deutero-Isaianic material Isa 34-35
• Sennacherib Hezekiah Isa 36-39 (2 Kgs
  1813-2019)
• Rabshakeh Isa 36 (vv. 11-12 ? Aramaic urine)
• Defeat of Assyria death of Sennacherib Isa
  3733-38
• Illness prayer of Hezekiah Isa 38
• Merodach-baladan Isa 39