Isaiah 59 opens with an arresting parallel line: A. Not shortened the hand of Yahweh B. from saving A’. And not heavy ( kavod ) his ear B’. from hearing. Several observations emerge from this structure. First, the connection of hand and ear is significant. Yahweh saves by His . . . . Continue Reading »
Isaiah 59 is arranged in a loose chiasm: A. Israel’s sins have separated her from Yahweh, vv 1-2 B. Israel is full of blood, falsehood, injustice, vv 3-8 C. Therefore, justice, righteousness and salvation never arrive, vv 9-11 B’. Israel’s confession of lies and injustice, vv . . . . Continue Reading »
In the Bible, bones are not merely structural features of the human person. Shattered (Psalm 42:10) or scattered (Psalm 53:5) bones are signs of defeat. When bones are scattered at the edge of Sheol, an army has been massacred (Psalm 141:7). Bones can waste away (Psalm 31:10), be out of joint . . . . Continue Reading »
In yesterday’s post about Isaiah 58 , I failed to take into account several other uses of nephesh in the chapter, which are needed to get a full grasp of what the chapter is doing. Nephesh first appears in verse 3, in Israel’s complaint that Yahweh pays no attention to their fasting: . . . . Continue Reading »
Isaiah 58:10 begins with a chiastic clause that centers on the repetition of nephesh : A. If you give B. to the hungry C. your soul C’. and the soul B’. of the afflicted A’. you satiate . . . The text goes on to promise that the light of Israel will rise and become like the . . . . Continue Reading »
If Judah keeps Yahweh’s fast, a new day will dawn (Isaiah 58:8). In the Hebrew, the promise is announced in two tiny chiasms: A. then shall break out B. as dawn C. your light C’. and your recovery B’. speedily A’. shall spring And then: A. and will walk B. before you C. your . . . . Continue Reading »
Yahweh’s fast is “to divide bread for the hungry” (Isaiah 58:7). Then again, it’s to “give yourself to the hungry” (v. 10). Giving bread is a mode of self-gift. Jesus keeps Yahweh’s Eucharistic fast. Yahweh’s fast is to cover the naked and “not . . . . Continue Reading »
Judah cries out to God, wondering why Yahweh doesn’t respond to their prayers and fasts (Isaiah 58). Yahweh responds with the charge that during their fasts they oppress their workers and stir up strife (vv. 3b-4). The response echoes Exodus: “drive hard” is what the Egyptians do . . . . Continue Reading »
A meditation on Isaiah 10 on the Trinity House site this morning. . . . . Continue Reading »
The Hebrew word translated as “contrite” ( dakka’ ) in Isaiah 57:15 means “crushed” as in “crushed to powder.” In Psalm 90:3, it means “dust.” The word has a history in Isaiah. In Isaiah 3:15, Yahweh charges Judah with “crushing my people . . . . Continue Reading »
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