Yahweh’s coming to Egypt leaves that well-watered land desolated. The sea, the rivers, the Nile itself are dried up, and all the vegetation that grows by the waters withers and is blown away like chaff. No fish can live in the waters, and the fishermen hang up their nets and lament (Isaiah . . . . Continue Reading »
When the book of Exodus opens, the Hebrews are subjected to “hard” bondage (1:14; 6:9). Yahweh sees it, and graciously delivers them from the bondage, but hardness returns. Four times in Exodus, Yahweh charges that Israel, though delivered from the hard bondage of hard-hearted Pharaoh, . . . . Continue Reading »
Isaiah 7-8 form a unit that is roughly chiastic (the following is modified from David Dorsey): A. threat from Aram and Israel, 7:1-2 B. Yahweh speaks to Isaiah: message for Ahaz, 7:3-9 C. Yahweh speaks to Ahaz, 7:10-17: sign, Immanuel, king of Assyria D. “In that day,” 7:18-25 C’. . . . . Continue Reading »
WH Auden commented, “More deadly than the Idle Word is the use of words as Black Magic . . . . For millions of people today, words like Communism, Capitalism, Imperialism, Peace, Freedom and Democracy have ceased to be words the meaning of which can be inquired into and discussed, and have . . . . Continue Reading »
There are plenty of reasons to dislike VS Naipaul, his talent notwithstanding. Now this: Asked whether or not any woman writer was his match, he predictably answered No, and then put in a gratuitous swipe at Austen: I “couldn’t possibly share her sentimental ambitions, her sentimental . . . . Continue Reading »
The song of the vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7) is an Edenic song. Yahweh forms Israel as His garden, and waits eagerly for it to produce grapes and wine to bring joy to His heart. The creation motif is reinforced by the structure of the passage. Verse 2 is a sevenfold sequence of clauses. Six describe . . . . Continue Reading »
When Yahweh judges Jerusalem and Judah, the traditional leaders will topple, and the people will scramble around to find rulers. “You have a cloak, you shall be our ruler ( qatsiyn )” (Isaiah 3:6). “You should not appoint me ruler ( qatsiyn ),” he replies (v. 7). The . . . . Continue Reading »
“Come, let us go to the mountain of Yahweh,” the peoples say (Isaiah 2:3), that “He may teach us . . . that we may walk.” The nations stream to Zion so they can learn to walk, because Yahweh has said, Suffer the little children to come to Me, and forbid them not, for of such . . . . Continue Reading »
I argued in a post a few months ago that Isaiah 2:5 begins a new paragraph of Isaiah 2, rather than concluding the opening section of that chapter. I still think that’s correct, but it is something of a Janus verse that faces backwards too. “Come” in 2:5, addressed to the . . . . Continue Reading »
Can it be an accident that the word “nation” ( goy ) occurs 73 times in Isaiah? The initial vision of Jerusalem’s restoration includes all nations - goy is used 4x in Isaiah 2:2-4, signalling the global extent of the redemption. And the overall numerology of the word substantiates . . . . Continue Reading »
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