Isaiah’s account of Sennacherib’s siege of Jerusalem is organized in a neat chiasm: A. Sennacherib’s invasion and the Rabshakeh’s message, 26:1-22 B. Hezekiah goes to temple, Isaiah prophesies, 37:1-7 A’/C. The Rabshakeh’s boast is repeated in a letter, 37:8-13 . . . . Continue Reading »
In Isaiah 34:1, the prophet summons the nations to draw near. It seems to be a call to Gentiles, but several things suggest that it is a call to Israel and the Gentiles together. goyim , which begins the verse, is clearly the Gentile nations, but the word translated as “people” ( leom ) . . . . Continue Reading »
The Hebrew word for leaf is ‘aleh , which uses the same consonants as the verb ‘alah , “to go up, to ascend,” and ‘olah , “ascension offering.” Surly Hebrew children didn’t say, “Make like a tree and leave” but “Make like a tree and . . . . Continue Reading »
Isaiah 35 is divided into six sections, which form a rough chiasm: A. The desert blooms and rejoices, vv 1-2 B. Encourage the faint, vv 3-4 C. Bodies restored, vv 5-6a C’. Water in the desert, vv 6b-7 B’. A highway of return, vv 8-9 A’. Joy of the returned exiles, v 10 This . . . . Continue Reading »
Isaiah 34 describes an international liturgical event. The nations are called to gather, but the nations are themselves the sacrificial victims. The sacrifice includes the slaughter of “the host of heaven,” which are cast out to “rot” (v. 4). This is Israel, the heavenly . . . . Continue Reading »
INTRODUCTION Isaiah’s earlier series of woes against the nations climaxes with woes against the “cousin” nation Moab (Isaiah 25:10; cf. Genesis 19:30-38). His second series of woes climaxes with a prophecy against another close relative – Edom, the descendants of Esau (Isaiah . . . . Continue Reading »
At the climax of Isaiah 33, the prophet envisions a restored and secure Zion, its regular feasts back in place and Yahweh (or His Davidic Son) reigning in beauty. But the image of restoration is not taken from the glory-days of Solomon. Jerusalem will be undisturbed, but not because its walls are . . . . Continue Reading »
Tinker, tailor, spy. Yahweh is declared to be Israel’s Judge, Lawgiver, and King in Isaiah 33:22. As Thomas Leclerc ( Yahweh Is Exalted in Justice ) points out, Yahweh is assuming responsibility for the failures of Judah’s leaders. Judges take bribes and ignore the pleas of the weak . . . . Continue Reading »
Isaiah 33 is arranged into two fairly neat chiasms. The first goes from verses 1-13: A. Woe to the destroyer, v. 1 B. Prayer for mercy in time of distress, vv. 2-3 C. Yahweh exalted, vv. 5-6 B’. Land laments, vv 7-9 A’/C’. Yahweh arises, is exalted, lifts Himself, and lets distant . . . . Continue Reading »
Only twice in Scripture are the words “treasure,” “wisdom” and “knowledge” used together. In Isaiah 33:6, Yahweh promises that after He destroys the Assyrian destroyers, He will fill Zion with justice and will open the fourfold treasure of wisdom - salvation, . . . . Continue Reading »
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