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 Isaiah the Prophet in Hebrew Scriptures
was depicted on the fresco at the
Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo.
Isaiah (Jesaja), 1509, Michelangelo
(larger image)Judaism considers the Book of Isaiah a part of its canon; he is the first listed (although not the earliest) of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets.[3] Christianity regards Isaiah as a saint and as prophet. The Book of Isaiah is a book of the Hebrew Bible as well as the Christian Old Testament, containing prophecies attributed to Isaiah. This book is often seen by scholars as being divided into at least two sections. The first section, consisting of chapters 1-39, is generally accepted as being written by the prophet Isaiah of Jerusalem, or by his followers who took down his words.
Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of four kings -- Uzziah (Azariah), Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Legend has it that he was martyred during the reign of Manasseh, who came to the throne in 687 BCE. That he is described as having ready access to the kings would suggest an aristocratic origin.
This was the time of the divided kingdom, with Israel in the north and Judah in the south. There was prosperity for both kingdoms during Isaiah’s youth with little foreign interference. Jeroboam II ruled in the north and Uzziah in the south. The small kingdoms of Palestine, as well as Syria, were under the influence of Egypt. However, in 745 BCE, Tiglath-Pileser III came to the throne of Assyria.
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 Bible verse across the street from the
United Nations building.Bible verse from
Isaiah writen on a wall across the street
from the United Nations Building in
New York City:..they shall beat their
swords into plowshares, and their
spears into pruning hooks: Nation shall
not lift up sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war any more. - Isaiah 2:4
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| Approximately 700 BC Isaiah prophecied the coming, suffering and death of the Messiah: |
| Isaiah 53 (ESV) |
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint |
| 1 (A) Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has(B) the arm of the LORD been revealed? |
1
מִי הֶאֱמִין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵנוּ וּזְרֹועַ יְהוָה עַל־מִי נִגְלָֽתָה׃ |
1 κύριε τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν καὶ ὁ βραχίων κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη |
| 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, (C) and like a root out of dry ground;(D) he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. |
2
וַיַּעַל כַּיֹּונֵק לְפָנָיו וְכַשֹּׁרֶשׁ מֵאֶרֶץ צִיָּה לֹא־תֹאַר לֹו וְלֹא הָדָר וְנִרְאֵהוּ וְלֹֽא־מַרְאֶה וְנֶחְמְדֵֽהוּ׃ |
2 ἀνηγγείλαμεν ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ ὡς παιδίον ὡς ῥίζα ἐν γῇ διψώσῃ οὐκ ἔστιν εἶδος αὐτῷ οὐδὲ δόξα καὶ εἴδομεν αὐτόν καὶ οὐκ εἶχεν εἶδος οὐδὲ κάλλος |
| 3 (E) He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and(F) we esteemed him not. |
3
נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים אִישׁ מַכְאֹבֹות וִידוּעַ חֹלִי וּכְמַסְתֵּר פָּנִים מִמֶּנּוּ נִבְזֶה וְלֹא חֲשַׁבְנֻֽהוּ׃ |
3 ἀλλὰ τὸ εἶδος αὐτοῦ ἄτιμον ἐκλεῖπον παρὰ πάντας ἀνθρώπους ἄνθρωπος ἐν πληγῇ ὢν καὶ εἰδὼς φέρειν μαλακίαν ὅτι ἀπέστραπται τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἠτιμάσθη καὶ οὐκ ἐλογίσθη |
| 4 (G) Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken, (H) smitten by God, and afflicted. |
4
אָכֵן חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא וּמַכְאֹבֵינוּ סְבָלָם וַאֲנַחְנוּ חֲשַׁבְנֻהוּ נָגוּעַ מֻכֵּה אֱלֹהִים וּמְעֻנֶּֽה׃ |
4 οὗτος τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν φέρει καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν ὀδυνᾶται καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐλογισάμεθα αὐτὸν εἶναι ἐν πόνῳ καὶ ἐν πληγῇ καὶ ἐν κακώσει |
| 5 (I) But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, (J) and with his stripes we are healed. |
5
וְהוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵנוּ מְדֻכָּא מֵעֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ מוּסַר שְׁלֹומֵנוּ עָלָיו וּבַחֲבֻרָתֹו נִרְפָּא־לָֽנוּ׃ |
5 αὐτὸς δὲ ἐτραυματίσθη διὰ τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν καὶ μεμαλάκισται διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν παιδεία εἰρήνης ἡμῶν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν τῷ μώλωπι αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς ἰάθημεν |
| 6 (K) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way;(L) and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. |
6
כֻּלָּנוּ כַּצֹּאן תָּעִינוּ אִישׁ לְדַרְכֹּו פָּנִינוּ וַֽיהוָה הִפְגִּיעַ בֹּו אֵת עֲוֹן כֻּלָּֽנוּ׃ |
6 πάντες ὡς πρόβατα ἐπλανήθημεν ἄνθρωπος τῇ ὁδῷ αὐτοῦ ἐπλανήθη καὶ κύριος παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν |
| 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, (M) yet he opened not his mouth;(N) like a(O) lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. |
7
נִגַּשׂ וְהוּא נַעֲנֶה וְלֹא יִפְתַּח־פִּיו כַּשֶּׂה לַטֶּבַח יוּבָל וּכְרָחֵל לִפְנֵי גֹזְזֶיהָ נֶאֱלָמָה וְלֹא יִפְתַּח פִּֽיו׃ |
7 καὶ αὐτὸς διὰ τὸ κεκακῶσθαι οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείροντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ |
| 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation,(P) who consideredthat he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? |
8
מֵעֹצֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט לֻקָּח וְאֶת־דֹּורֹו מִי יְשֹׂוחֵחַ כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים מִפֶּשַׁע עַמִּי נֶגַע לָֽמֹו׃ |
8 ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνομιῶν τοῦ λαοῦ μου ἤχθη εἰς θάνατον |
| 9 And they made his grave with the wicked (Q) and with a rich man in his death,although(R) he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. |
9
וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־רְשָׁעִים קִבְרֹו וְאֶת־עָשִׁיר בְּמֹתָיו עַל לֹא־חָמָס עָשָׂה וְלֹא מִרְמָה בְּפִֽיו׃ |
9 καὶ δώσω τοὺς πονηροὺς ἀντὶ τῆς ταφῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους ἀντὶ τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἀνομίαν οὐκ ἐποίησεν οὐδὲ εὑρέθη δόλος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ |
| 10 Yet(S) it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief;(T) when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;(U) the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. |
10
וַיהוָה חָפֵץ דַּכְּאֹו הֶֽחֱלִי אִם־תָּשִׂים אָשָׁם נַפְשֹׁו יִרְאֶה זֶרַע יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים וְחֵפֶץ יְהוָה בְּיָדֹו יִצְלָֽח׃ |
10 καὶ κύριος βούλεται καθαρίσαι αὐτὸν τῆς πληγῆς ἐὰν δῶτε περὶ ἁμαρτίας ἡ ψυχὴ ὑμῶν ὄψεται σπέρμα μακρόβιον καὶ βούλεται κύριος ἀφελεῖν |
| 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall(V) the righteous one, my servant, (W) make many to be accounted righteous, (X) and he shall bear their iniquities. |
11
מֵעֲמַל נַפְשֹׁו יִרְאֶה יִשְׂבָּע בְּדַעְתֹּו יַצְדִּיק צַדִּיק עַבְדִּי לָֽרַבִּים וַעֲוֹנֹתָם הוּא יִסְבֹּֽל׃ |
11 ἀπὸ τοῦ πόνου τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ δεῖξαι αὐτῷ φῶς καὶ πλάσαι τῇ συνέσει δικαιῶσαι δίκαιον εὖ δουλεύοντα πολλοῖς καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν αὐτὸς ἀνοίσει |
| 12 (Y) Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, (Z) and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors;(AA) yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. |
12
לָכֵן אֲחַלֶּק־לֹו בָרַבִּים וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים יְחַלֵּק שָׁלָל תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱרָה לַמָּוֶת נַפְשֹׁו וְאֶת־פֹּשְׁעִים נִמְנָה וְהוּא חֵטְא־רַבִּים נָשָׂא וְלַפֹּשְׁעִים יַפְגִּֽיעַ׃ ס |
12 διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸς κληρονομήσει πολλοὺς καὶ τῶν ἰσχυρῶν μεριεῖ σκῦλα ἀνθ᾽ ὧν παρεδόθη εἰς θάνατον ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀνόμοις ἐλογίσθη καὶ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτίας πολλῶν ἀνήνεγκεν καὶ διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν παρεδόθη |
Cross references:« A Isaiah 53:1 : John 12:38; Rom 10:16
« B Isaiah 53:1 : Isaiah 51:9
« C Isaiah 53:2 : Isaiah 11:1
« D Isaiah 53:2 : Isaiah 52:14
« E Isaiah 53:3 : Isaiah 49:7; Psalm 22:6; Mark 9:12
« F Isaiah 53:3 : John 1:10, 11
« G Isaiah 53:4 : Matt 8:17
« H Isaiah 53:4 : Psalm 69:26
« I Isaiah 53:5 : Rom 4:25
« J Isaiah 53:5 : 1 Pet 2:24
« K Isaiah 53:6 : 1 Pet 2:25; Jer 50:6, 17
« L Isaiah 53:6 : 2 Cor 5:21; Isaiah 53:10; Col 2:14
« M Isaiah 53:7 : Matt 26:63; Mark 14:61; John 19:9; 1 Pet 2:23
« N Isaiah 53:7 : Acts 8:32
« O Isaiah 53:7 : Jer 11:19
« P Isaiah 53:8 : Isaiah 57:1
« Q Isaiah 53:9 : Matt 27:57, 60
« R Isaiah 53:9 : 1 Pet 2:22; Heb 4:15; 1 John 3:5
« S Isaiah 53:10 : Isaiah 53:4
« T Isaiah 53:10 : Isaiah 53:6
« U Isaiah 53:10 : Isaiah 44:28
« V Isaiah 53:11 : 1 John 2:1
« W Isaiah 53:11 : Acts 13:39; Rom 5:18, 19
« X Isaiah 53:11 : Isaiah 53:5
« Y Isaiah 53:12 : Isaiah 52:13; Phil 2:9
« Z Isaiah 53:12 : Col 2:15
« AA Isaiah 53:12 : Isaiah 53:6, 8, 10
ESV
quotation Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
< http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah 53;&version=ESV >
Masoretic Text and Septuagint
Blue Letter Bible. Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2008. 30 Nov 2008. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Isa&c=53&t=ESV >
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| Isaiah is noted in the Bible for initiating reforms that outlawed, or enforced Jewish laws against, idolatry (in this case, the worship of Ba'alim and/or Asherah, among other traditional Near Eastern divinities).
Biography
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 the prophet Isaiah, Raphael, Rome, St. Agostino
(larger image)He exercised the functions of his office during the reigns of Uzziah (or Azariah), Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Isaiah 1:1), the kings of Judah. Uzziah reigned fifty-two years in the middle of the 8th century BC, and Isaiah must have begun his career a few years before Uzziah's death, probably in the 740s BC. He lived till the fourteenth year of Hezekiah, and in all likelihood outlived that monarch (who died 698 BC), and may have been contemporary for some years with Manasseh. Thus Isaiah may have prophesied for the long period of at least sixty-four years.
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| In early youth Isaiah must have been moved by the invasion of Israel by the Assyrian monarch Tiglath-Pileser III (2 Kings 15:19); and again, twenty years later, when he had already entered on his office, by the invasion of Tiglath-Pileser and his career of conquest. Ahaz, king of Judah, at this crisis refused to co-operate with the kings of Israel and Syria in opposition to the Assyrians, and was on that account attacked and defeated by Rezin of Damascus and Pekah of Israel (2 Kings 16:5; 2 Chronicles 28:5, 6). Ahaz, thus humbled, sided with Assyria, and sought the aid of Tiglath-Pileser against Israel and Syria. The consequence was that Rezin and Pekah were conquered and many of the people carried captive to Assyria (2 Kings 15:29; 16:9; 1 Chronicles 5:26). |
<
 The Prophet Isaiah, Artist: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, 1726-29. Fresco, 200 x 250 cm, in the Patriarchal Palace in Udine (1726)
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The Book Of Isaiah
The remaining years of Hezekiah's reign were peaceful (2 Chr. 32:23, 27-29). Isaiah probably lived to its close, and possibly into the reign of Manasseh, but the time and manner of his death are not specified in either the Bible or recorded history. There is a tradition that he suffered martyrdom in the pagan reaction in the time of Manasseh. Both Jewish and Christian traditions state that he was killed by being sawed in half. Some interpreters believe that this is what is referred to by Hebrews 11:37 (in the New Testament), which states that some prophets were "sawn in two". It is also mentioned in the book of The Martyrdom of Isaiah that he lived into the days of Manasseh, and was also sawn in half with a wooden saw. |
Critical scholarship
The break between the first part of Isaiah (Isaiah 1-39) versus the latter half of the book (Is. 40-66) caught the eye of eighteenth century critical scholars Doderlein (1789) and Eichhorn (1783), who advocated a source-critical reading of the book, seeing chapters 40-66 as later, post-exilic additions, or even totally separate works artificially appended to the earlier composition. The term "Deutero-Isaiah" described the anonymous later writer, to whom some ascribed some redactionary roles as well. Some more recent commentators have further divided 40-66 by adding a third Isaiah, Trito-Isaiah, who wrote 56-66. The provenance of the text in the latter half of the book seemed to support a post-exilic timeframe, with direct references to Cyrus, King of Persia (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1, 13), a lament for the ruined temple, and other details. Also, the tone of the two halves is different; the first seems to warn erring Judah of impending divine judgement through foreign conquest, while the second seems to provide comfort to a broken people.
Other scholars, such as Margalioth (1964) challenged the view of multiple authorship by pointing out the remarkable unity of the book Isaiah in terms of theme, message, and vocabulary. Even certain verbal formulas unique to Isaiah, such as "the mouth of the Lord has spoken," appears in both halves of Isaiah but in no other Hebrew prophetic literature. While clear differences between the two halves of the book were evident, thematically the two halves are remarkably similar, certainly more similar to each other than to any other existing prophetic literature.
Recent trends in critical scholarship have focused on synchronic approaches, which advocate a whole-text reading, rather than the traditional historical-critical diachronic approaches, which tend to be directed at taking the text apart, looking for sources, redactional seams, etc. Inspired by Hebrew Bible literary criticism done by Robert Alter, recent scholars have tended to circumscribe authorship and historical-critical questions and look at the final form of the book as a literary whole, a product of the post-exilic era which is characterized by literary and thematic unity.
Rabbinic literature
According to the Rabbinic literature, Isaiah was a descendant of Judah and Tamar (Sotah 10b). His father was a prophet and the brother of King Amaziah (Talmud tractate Megillah 15a).[4]
Three “Isaiah”s
Modern scholarship sees “Isaiah” as “a long, inspired tradition” including the prophet of Jerusalem (“First Isaiah”) and continuing through his disciples including “Second Isaiah” and “Third Isaiah”.[5]
- First Isaiah: Preached between 740 and 687 BC. A city person who insisted upon faith and was fearless in opposing leaders. [5]
- Second Isaiah: A master of sound and music with sweeping visions of mountains collapsing and valleys lifted up. [5]
- Third Isaiah: Most influenced by earlier Isaiahs. Dreamed of new heavens and new earth.[5]
- « New Bible Dictionary, Second Edition, Tyndale Press, Wheaton, IL, USA 1987.
- « Wells, John C. (1990). Longman pronunciation dictionary. Harlow, England: Longman. p. 378. ISBN 0582053838. entry "Isaiah"
- « JPS Hebrew English Tanakh, Jewish Publication Society, 2000
- « Isaiah at Jewish Encyclopedia
- « "Introduction to the Book of Isaiah". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/isaiah/intro.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-29.
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