DIVINITY SCHOOL TROWBRIDGE LIBRARY GIFT OF GEORGE M. MURRAY '17 FROM THE LIBRARY OF WILLIAM D. MURRAY '80 THE BOOK OF ISAIAH THE BOOK OF ISAIAH IN FIFTEEN STUDIES GEORGE L. ROBINSON, Ph.D. (Leipzig) Professor Old Testament Literature and Exegesis McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago New York Yodhg Men's Christian Association Press 1910 Copyright, 1910, by The International Committee of Young Men's Christian Associations TO Mrs. Cyrus H. McCormicr. WHOSE KINDLY FRIENDSHIP HAS BEEN A CONSTANT INSPIRATION FOR MANY YEARS, THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED CONTENTS PAGE Introduction 13 Study One — Isaiah's Life and Writings 1. Isaiah's Personal History 19 2. Isaiah's Call to be Prophet 19 3. Isaiah's Political and Spiritual Horizon. ... 21 4. Isaiah's Character and Patriotism 22 5. Isaiah's Literary Genius and Style 23 6. Traditions Concerning Isaiah's Martyrdom . . 23 7. Selected Literature 24 Study Two — Analysis of the Book of Isaiah 1. The Six General Divisions of the Book 27 2. Chapters 1-12, Prophecies Concerning Judah and Jerusalem 27 3. Chapters 13-23, Oracles Concerning Foreign Nations 28 4. Chapters 24-27, Jehovah's World- Judgment . 29 5. Chapters 28-35, A Cycle of Warnings against Alliance with Egypt 30 6. Chapters 36-39, History, Prophecy and Song Intermingled 31 7. Chapters 40-66, Prophecies of Comfort, Sal vation and Future Glory 32 Study Three — The Period of Isaiah 1. Under Uzziah; prior to His Call (740 B. C.) 35 2. During the Reign of Jotham (740-736 B. C.) 37 3. During the Reign of Ahaz (736-727 B. C.) . . 38 4. During the Early Years of Hezekiah (727ff. B. C.) 39 8 CONTENTS PAGE 5. During Babylonia's Independence (721-709 B. C.) 40 6. During the Crisis of 701 B. C 41 7. The Most Noteworthy Facts of Isaiah's Period (Chronological Table) 43 Study Four — Isaiah's Prophecies Chronologi cally Arranged 1. The Inner Structure of His Book 47 2. Isaiah's Earliest Messages (Chapters 1-6) . . 48 3. Prophecies in Connection with the Syro- Ephraimitic War of 734 B. C. (Chapters 7-12 and 17) 49 4. Prophecies between 734 and 722 B. C. (Chapters 13-14, 23-27) 50 5. During the Reign of Sargon II., 722-705 B. C. (Chapters 15-16, 19-22, 38-39) 52 6. Prior to and during the Siege of 701 B. C. (Chapters 28-37 and 18) 53 7. After the Crisis of 701 B. C. (Chapters 40-66) 54 Study Five — The Critical Problem 1. The Status Questionis 59 2. The Fundamental Axiom of Criticism 60 3. Other Governing Criteria 6l 4. The Writer's Personal Attitude 62 5. The History of Criticism 64 6. The Disintegration of Deutero-Isaiah 65 7. The Literary History of the Book 66 Study Six — Judah's Social Sins (Chapters 1-6) 1. Formal Religion (Chapter 1) 69 2. The Sin of War (Chapter 2 : 1-4) 70 CONTENTS 9 PAGE 3. Foreign Customs and Alliances (Chapter 2:5-22) 71 4. The Sins of the Aristocracy (Chapters 3-4) . . 72 5. Judah's National Sins (Chapter 5) 73 6. The Sins of the Masses (Chapter 6) 74 7. Summary of Isaiah's Social Discourses 75 Study Seven — Judah's Political Entanglements (Chapters 7-12) 1. The Syro-Ephraimitic Uprising (Chapter 7:1-9) 79 2. Ahaz, the King of No-Faith (Chapter 7: 10- 25) 80 3. No Conspiracy Successful without God (Chapters 8: 1—9: 7) 81 4. Accumulated Wrath (Chapters 9= 8 — 10: 4) . 82 5. Assyria, an Instrument of Jehovah (Chapter 10:5-34) 83 6. Israel's Return from Exile (Chapters 11-12) 84 7. Summary of Isaiah's Political Discourses (734-732 B. C.) 85 Study Eight — Isaiah's "Burdens" Concerning Foreign Nations (Chapters 13-23) 1. Concerning Babylon (Chapters 13:1 — 14: 23; 21:1-10) 89 2. Concerning Moab (Chapters 15-16) 90 3. Concerning Philistia and Damascus (Chap ters 14:28-32; 17:1-14) 91 4. Concerning Egypt and Ethiopia (Chapters 18-20) 92 5. Concerning Edom and Arabia (Chapters 21:11-17; 34-35; 63: 1-6) 93 10 CONTENTS PAGE 6. Concerning the Foreign Temper within the Theocracy (Chapter 22) 94 7. Concerning Tyre (Chapter 23). Summary. . 95 Study Nine — Spiritual Messages of Salvation (Chapters 24-27) 1. Prophecy or Apocalypse? 99 2. Waves of Approaching Judgment (Chapter 24) 100 3. Songs of the Redeemed (Chapter 25) 101 4. Life from the Dead (Chapter 26: 1-19) 102 5. Israel's Chastisements Salutary (Chapters 26:20 — 27:13) 103 6. The Historical Standpoint of the Author ... . 104 7. The Value of Chapters 24-27 to Isaiah's Age. 105 Study Ten — A Series of Six Woes (Chapters 28-33) 1. Woe to Drunken, Scoffing Politicians (Chap ter 28) 109 2. Woe to Formalists in Religion (Chapter 29:1-14) 110 3. Woe to those who hide their Plans from God (Chapter 29: 15-24) Ill 4. Woe to the pro-Egyptian Party (Chapter 30) 112 5. Woe to those who Trust in Horses and Chariots (Chapters 31-32) 113 6. Woe to the Assyrian Destroyer (Chapter 33) 114 7. Summary: No Woe without a Promise 115 Study Eleven — History, Prophecy and Song (Chapters 36-39) 1. The Fourteenth Year of King Hezekiah (Chapter 36: 1) 119 CONTENTS 11 PAGE 2. The Events of 701 B. C. (Chapters 36-37) . . 120 3. Isaiah's Last "Word" concerning Assyria (Chapter 37: 21-35) 121 4. Hezekiah's Sickness and Recovery (Chapter 38) 123 5. Hezekiah's Song of Thanksgiving (Chapter 38 : 9-20) 124 6. The Embassy of Merodach-Baladan (Chapter 39) 126 7. An Estimate of Hezekiah 127 Study Twelve — Deliverance from Captivity through Cyrus (Chapters 40-48) 1. The Basis of Comfort, Israel's Incomparable God (Chapter 40) 131 2. The Supreme Proof of Jehovah's Sole Deity, His Power to Predict (Chapter 41) 132 3. The Spiritual Agent of Redemption, Jeho vah's "Servant" (Chapters 42: 1—43: 13) 133 4. Forgiveness, Jehovah's Pledge of Deliverance (Chapters 43 : 14 — 44: 23) 135 5. Cyrus, Jehovah's Agent in Israel's Deliver ance (Chapters 44 : 24 — 45 : 25) 136 6. The Overthrow of Babylon (Chapters 46-47) 137 7. A Hortatory Summary of the Argument (Chapter 48) 138 Study Thirteen — The Servant of Jehovah (Chapters 49-57) 1. The Prophetic Setting of the "Servant Songs" 141 2. The First of the Four "Servant Songs" (Chapter 42 : 1-9) 142 12 CONTENTS PAGE 3. The Second of the Four "Servant Songs" (Chapter 49: 1-13) 143 4. The Third of the Four "Servant Songs" (Chapter 50: 4-11) 144 5. The Last of the Four "Servant Songs" (Chapters 52: 13—53: 12) 145 6. Who the Servant of Jehovah Is 147 7. The Fulfilment of these Prophecies in Christ. 148 Study Fourteen — The Future Glory of the Pjeople of God (Chapters 58-66) 1. True Fasting and Faithful Sabbath Obser vance (Chapter 58) 151 2. Hindrances to Israel's Salvation Removed (Chapter 59) 152 3. The Future Blessedness of Zion • (Chapters 60-61) 153 4. Zion's Salvation Drawing Near (Chapters 62:1—63:6) 154 5. Jehovah's "Servants" at Prayer (Chapters 63:7—64:12) 155 6. Jehovah's Answer, Zion Triumphant (Chap ters 65-66) 157 7. Concluding Observations 158 Study Fifteen — Review Questions 1. Studies One and Two 161 2. Studies Three and Four 162 3. Studies Five and Six 163 4. Studies Seven and Eight 164 5. Studies Nine and Ten 165 6. Studies Eleven and Twelve 166 7. Studies Thirteen and Fourteen 167 INTRODUCTION Few books of the Old Testament have in modern times received the attention which has been accorded the book of Isaiah. An unusual flood of critical and expository literature has recently appeared, to which no careful student of the book would deny his very great indebted ness. Yet it must be confessed that the divisive criticism of Isaiah has developed into a sort of reckless surgery, until it has become well-nigh impossible to find a proof text in support of a reasonably conservative position,- whose genuineness is not disputed by some one. It almost seems sometimes that doubt were in competition with doubt. As Whitehouse remarks in opposition to Lagarde, Duhm and Marti, who dissect Isa. 63 : 1, "as Edom is thus eliminated in one clause, it is necessary to operate on Bozrah in the other." (New Century Bible, Isaiah, vol. II., p. 303, n. 2.) The same is true of hosts of other passages. Yet notwithstanding the truth of these statements (and who would deny their truthfulness?) it is better to keep an open mind concerning the origin of these proph ecies and not foreclose inquiry. For the book of Isaiah is a marvelous piece of literature even when dismem bered and treated as an anthology or collection of prophecies from various prophets in different ages. And surely God could have inspired twenty Isaiahs as well as one ! The supreme question is, Have we adequate or convincing proof of the book's alleged composite character? In the judgment of the present writer we have not. The book of Isaiah when treated as an organic whole is a grand masterpiece. One great purpose dominates 14 INTRODUCTION the author throughout, which, as he proceeds, is brought to a climax in a picture of Israel's redemption and the glorification of Zion. Failure to recognize this unity incapacitates a man to do it exegetical justice. Of no other book in the Old Testament are the words of Davidson more true than of Isaiah, that "no particular doctrine of the prophet can be properly understood without some comprehension of his scheme of thought as a whole." The divine name, "the Holy One of Israel," which Isaiah ascribes to Jehovah, and which occurs twenty-five times in his book and only six times elsewhere in the entire Old Testament, interlocks inseparably all the various portions with one another and stamps them with the personal imprimatur of him who saw the vision of the Majestic God seated upon his throne high and lifted up, and heard the angelic choirs singing, "Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" (chapter 6). The presence of this divine name in all the different portions of the book is of more value in identifying Isaiah as the author of these prophecies than as though his name had been inscribed at the beginning of every chapter (cf. 1:4; 5:19,24; 10:20; 12:6; 17:7; 29=19; 30:11, 12, 15; 31:1; 37:23— that is, twelve times in chapters 1-39; and 41:14, 16, 20; 43:3, 14; 45:11; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7; 54:5; 55:5; 60:9, 14— or thirteen times in chapters 40-66). One great theme likewise binds in a peculiar way all parts of this great book together, namely, salvation by faith. Isaiah is the Saint Paul of the Old Testament. His book taken as a whole is a large and illustrated Hebrew edition, so to speak, of the Epistle to the Romans; the essential difference between the apostle and the prophet being, that Isaiah lived in the future INTRODUCTION 15 of Israel's theology, whereas Paul correlated the teach ings of the past. Prediction is the very essence and core of Isaiah's entire message. His verb tenses are pre dominatingly futures and prophetic perfects. Isaiah was preeminently a prophet of the Future. With unparalleled suddenness he repeatedly leaps from despair to hope, from threat to promise, from the actual to the ideal. More than any other prophet also he demonstrates the interrelation of the natural and supernatural, showing that their spheres overlap. Isaiah's theology is the divinest and therefore the profoundest in the Old Testa ment. His statement that he "saw the Lord" (6:1) is none too strong to account for the heights to which his imagination soars. No wonder that, when Augustine shortly after his conversion asked Ambrose which of the sacred books he should begin first to study, the answer he received was, "The prophecies of Isaiah." And considering the statesmanship of the prophet it is likewise little wonder that the celebrated British orator, Edmund Burke, habit ually read from the prophecies of Isaiah before going to Parliament. The book of Isaiah is a marvelously profound, unique and exhaustive monograph on the doctrine of temporal and spiritual salvation. And the most marvelous thing about it is the fact that such truths were actually apprehended and committed to writing by any one before the time of Christ; for the book of Isaiah is "the gospel before the Gospel." Most humbly, therefore, the author sends forth this brief exposition of Isaiah's great book in the hope that it may at least prepare the may for a saner and deeper exposition of the great eighth century prophet, and at the same time bring relief to those whose minds are so often distracted by the technical and frequently mis- 16 INTRODUCTION leading critical commentaries upon it. Perhaps no book of the Old Testament has suffered more from commen tary interference than that of Isaiah. For many helpful suggestions the author is indebted to his friend, the Reverend Lewis Gaston Leary, Ph. D., of Pelham Manor, New York, who not only reviewed the ms. in advance, but has kindly assisted in reading the proof sheets and in preparing the index. The American Standard Revision is the Bible text used in quotation. The student should be careful to read the Prophet him self, chapter by chapter and section by section as indi cated in the Studies, before consulting the exposition. And One Cried unto Another, and Said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is Jehovah of Hosts: the Whole Earth is Full of His Glory. And I Heard the Voice of the Lord, Saying, Whom Shall I Send, and Who Will Go for Us? Then I Said, Here Am I; Send Me. Isa. 6:3, 8. How Beautiful upon the Mountains are the Feet of Him That Bringeth Good Tidings, That Publisheth Peace, That Bringeth Good Tidings of Good, That Publisheth Salvation, That Saith unto Zion, Thy God Reigneth ! Isa. 52:7. STUDY ONE ISAIAH'S LIFE AND WRITINGS FIRST DAY— Isaiah's Personal History 1. Of the four great prophets — Amos and Hosea, Isaiah and Micah — who are known to have lived and labored during the last half of the eighth century B. C, Isaiah is the greatest; indeed, Isaiah is the king of all prophets. 2. He bore a name symbolic of his message, namely, Isaiah, signifying "Jehovah saves." He was a citizen, probably a native, of Jerusalem; hence a city prophet. In all his messages he gives great prominence to the capital. Inasmuch also as he stood in closest relations to the king, he was a court preacher. 3. He was the son of Amoz (not Amos). He sprang apparently from a family of some rank, as may be in ferred from his easy access to the king (Isa. 7), and his close intimacy with the priest (8:2). Tradition makes him the cousin of King Uzziah. 4. Isaiah was married and had at least two sons; to whom he gave the names, Shear-j ashub, "a remnant shall return" (7:3), and Maher-shalal-hash-baz, "hast ing to the spoil, hurrying to the prey" (8:2, 3), sym bolic of Assyria's mad lust of conquest. These names, as also his own, Isaiah regarded as embodying his mes sage to Judah and Jerusalem (8: 18). SECOND DAY— Isaiah's Call to be Prophet 1. Isaiah was called in the year that King Uzziah died. While worshiping in the temple he fell into a, 20 THE BOOK OF ISAIAH trance; suddenly the house and the ministers became transfigured, and he beheld in triple vision God, sin, and salvation. He also received a call and a commission which sent him on a new pathway of duty (Isa. 6). 2. From that moment, he seems to have regarded prophecy as his life's work. He responded with note worthy alacrity, though he knew from the outset that his task was to be one of fruitless warning and judgment (6:9-13). Nevertheless, without reserve, he dedicated to the work not only himself but his family. He speaks of his wife as the "prophetess" (8: 3), and of course the names of his two sons were constant reminders of the nation's fate. He also gathered about him a coterie of "disciples" to whom he committed his oracles of hope and promise (8: 16). 3. Having been brought up in Jerusalem, Isaiah doubtless received the best education the capital could supply. He knew not only books but men ; consequently he was well fitted to become the political and religious counselor of the nation. He must have known the prophets Amos and Hosea, and often heard at least echoes of their preaching to North Israel. He prob ably had many a conference with Micah, his younger contemporary in Judah, and frequently heard men tell of the earthquake which occurred in Uzziah's reign (Amos 1:1; Zech. 14:5). 4. But the event which impressed him most was the vision of the majestic and thrice holy God which he saw in the temple (6:3). This left an indelible impression upon his soul, and more than anything else fitted him for his difficult life work. Chapter 6 is technically the only "vision" in his book; and yet no other book of the Old Testament is so completely a continued vision of the future. For Isaiah the death-year of King Uzziah had LIFE AND WRITINGS 21 more than mere chronological value; it was the supreme moment of his spiritual history. THIRD DAY— Isaiah's Political and Spiritual Horizon 1. No Hebrew prophet ever lived whose political horizon, domestic and foreign, was wider or more ex tended than that of Isaiah of the eighth century B. C. Syria, Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt, Philistia, Ammon, Moab and Edom were all actors upon the ever-changing stage of history. 2. Only God can bound a man's spiritual horizon. He indeed spake "of old time unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions," but who would dare premise just how large the "portion" was which He committed to Isaiah of Jerusalem? Whether or not Isaiah wrote all the prophecies of the wonderful book which for so long has been associated with his name, humanly speaking such a book might more easily have been composed in his age than in any other. 3. The theme about which all his prophecies revolve is "Judah and Jerusalem" (1:1). Even in the oracles addressed to foreign nations (chapters 13-23), Judah and Jerusalem are still the goal and center of the prophet's thoughts. Occasionally, however, he directed a brief message to North Israel, as in chapters 9:8 — 10:4; 17:1-11; 28:1-6; and frequently he interspersed his prophecies with history as occasion required (chapters 7, 20, and 36-39). 4. His mission to his own age was a very compre hensive one; so much so that Delitzsch speaks of him as "the universal prophet of Israel." There were prac tically no bounds to his imagination, any more than there were limits to Jehovah's power to save (45:22). 22 THE BOOK OF ISAIAH Isaiah saw clearly that the ideal kingdom, which God was about to establish through the Messiah, included all people. In a word, he was the prophet of universal redemption by faith. FOURTH DAY — Isaiah's Character and Patriotism 1. No prophet of the Old Testament combined more perfectly than Isaiah earthly vision and sagacity, cour age and conviction, versatility of gifts and singleness of purpose, on the one hand, with clear vision and spiritual intuition, a love of righteousness and a keen appreciation of Jehovah's majesty and holiness, on the other. Vale- ton describes him thus: "Never perhaps has there been another prophet like Isaiah, who stood with his head in the clouds and his feet on the solid earth, with his heart in the things of eternity and with mouth and hand in the things of time, with his spirit in the eternal counsel of God and his body in a very definite moment of his tory." 2. No prophet also, except perhaps Jeremiah, felt more keenly than Isaiah the cost of genuine patriotism, or the burden which all true prophets in every age are forced to bear. He saw clearly that a man cannot be a faithful patriot and always be optimistic, saying com plimentary things about his nation or their deeds. 3. Isaiah was no soothsayer. Frequently he de nounced heathen cults as inimical to the theocracy. In politics he was neutral; but he did not separate reli gion from politics. As a seer he united the profoundest religious insight with a wide knowledge of men and affairs, and possessed a balance of powers rarely com bined in a single individual. He was unquestionably the most imposing figure of his age. LIFE AND WRITINGS 23 FIFTH DAY— Isaiah's Literary Genius and Style I. For versatility of expression and brilliancy of imagery Isaiah had no superior, not even a rival. His style marks the climax of Hebrew literary art. Both his periods and descriptions are most finished and sub lime. "Every word from him stirs and strikes its mark," says Dillmann. Beauty and strength are characteristic of his entire book. He is a perfect artist in words. No other Old Testament writer uses so many beautifully picturesque illustrations (5:1-7; 12:3; 28:23-29; 32:2). 2. Epigrams and metaphors, particularly of flood, storm and sound (1: 13; 5: 18, 22; 8: 8; 10:22; 28: 17, 20; 30:28, 30), interrogation and dialogue (10:8; 6:8), antithesis and alliteration (1:18; 3:24; 17:10, 12), hyperbole and parable (2:7; 5:1-7; 28:23-29), even paranomasia, or play on words (5:7; 7:9)> char acterize Isaiah's book as the masterpiece of Hebrew lit erature. He is also famous for his vocabulary and rich ness of synonyms. Ezekiel uses 1535 words; Jeremiah, 1653; the Psalmist, 2170; Isaiah, 2186. 3. Isaiah was also an orator. Jerome likened him to Demosthenes. He was likewise a poet. He fre quently elaborates his messages in rhythmic or poetic style (12:1-6; 25:1-5; 26:1-12; 38:10-20; 42:1-4; 49:1-9; 50:4-9; 52:13 — 53:12; 60-62; 66:5-24); and in several instances slips into elegiac rhythm: for example, in 37 : 22-29 there is a fine taunting poem on Sennacherib, and in 14:4-21 another on the king of Babylon. As Driver remarks, "Isaiah's poetical genius is superb." SIXTH DAY — Traditions Concerning Isaiah's Martyrdom 1. Nothing historically definite is known concerning 24 THE BOOK OF ISAIAH the prophet's end. There was a tradition, however, common among the Jews towards the close of the second century A. D., to the effect that Isaiab suffered martyr dom in the heathen reaction which occurred under King Manasseh, because of certain speeches concerning God and the Holy City which his contemporaries alleged were contrary to the law. 2. The Jewish Mishna (the first part of the Talmud) states that Manasseh slew Isaiah. Justin Martyr (150 A. D.), in his controversial dialogue with the Jew, Trypho, reproaches the Jews with the accusation, "whom ye sawed asunder with a wooden saw"; so also a Jewish Apocalypse of the second century A. D., entitled "The Ascension of Isaiah"; and likewise Epiphanius in his so-called "Lives of the Prophets." It is possible that there is an allusion to Isaiah's martyrdom in Heb. 1 1 : 37, "they were stoned, they were sawn asunder," but this is by no means certain. 3. In any case Isaiah probably survived the great catastrophe of the siege of Jerusalem in 701 B. C, and possibly also the death of Hezekiah (699 B. C.) ; for in 2 Chron. 32 : 32 it is stated that Isaiah wrote a biography of King Hezekiah. If so, his prophetic activity ex tended over a period of more than forty years. George Adam Smith extends it to "more than fifty." (Jerusalem, vol. II., p. 180; cf. Whitehouse, Isaiah, in the New Cen tury Bible, vol. I., p. 72). SEVENTH DAY— Selected Literature 1. Commentaries on Isaiah: Whitehouse, in the New Century Bible, 2 vols., 1905; Skinner, in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, 2 vols., 1896; G. A. Smith, in the Expositor's Bible, 2 vols., 1888-90; De- LIFE AND WRITINGS 25 litzsch's Commentary, English edition, 2 vols., 1892; Cheyne's Commentary, third edition, 2 vols., 1884; Orelli's Commentary, translated by Banks, 1895; Mac- laren's Expositions of Holy Scripture, 2 vols., 1906. 2. Introduction and Criticism: Driver, Isaiah, his Life and Times, in The Men of the Bible Series, 1888; Cheyne, Introduction to the Book of Isaiah, 1895 ; W. R. Smith, The Prophets of Israel, second edition, 1896; Kirkpatriok, The Doctrine of the Prophets, 1892; Thirtle, Old Testament Problems, 1907; Konig, The Exiles' Book of Consolation, 1899; Kennedy, The Argu ments for the Unity of Isaiah, 1891 ; Workman, The Servant of Jehovah, 1907; W. E. Barnes, An Examina tion of Isaiah, 24-27, 1891. 3. Bible Dictionaries (articles on "Isaiah") : G. A. Smith, in Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, 1899; Cheyne, in the Encyclopaedia Biblica, 1901 ; James Robertson, in the Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1908; Konig, in the Standard Bible Dictionary, 1909; G. B. Gray, in Hastings' (one volume) Dictionary of the Bible, 1909. 4. In German: the commentaries of Dillmann, 1890; Duhm, 1902; Marti, 1900; and Dillmann's as revised by Kittel, 1898, are recommended. I, Even I, am He That Blotteth Out Thy Transgressions for Mine Own Sake; and I will not Remember Tht Sins. Isa. 43:25. Look unto Me, and be Ye Saved, All the Ends of the Earth; for I am God, and There is None Else. Isa. 45:22. STUDY TWO ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF ISAIAH FIRST DAY— The Six General Divisions of the Book 1. Chapters 1-12, prophecies concerning Judah and Jerusalem, closing with promises of restoration and a psalm of thanksgiving. 2. Chapters 13-23, oracles of judgment and salva tion, for the most part concerning those foreign nations whose fortunes affected Judah and Jerusalem. 3. Chapters 24-27, Jehovah's world-judgment, is suing in the redemption of Israel. 4. Chapters 28-35, a cycle of prophetic warnings against alliance with Egypt, closing with a prophecy concerning Edom and a promise of Israel's ransom. 5. Chapters 36-39, history, prophecy and song inter mingled; serving both as an appendix to chapters 1-35, and as an introduction to chapters 40-66. 6. Chapters 40-66, prophecies of cotnfort, salvation, and of the future glory awaiting Israel. (The student would do well to mark off in some way these six divisions in his Bible; perhaps adding the headings in the margin.) SECOND DAY— Chapters 1-12. Prophecies Concerning Judah and Jerusalem Chapter 1. Jehovah's lament over Israel; an intro duction striking the chief notes of the entire book: (1) thoughtlessness, verses 2-9; (2) formalism, verses 10-17; (3) pardon, verses 18-23; (4) redemption, verses 24-31. Chapters 2-4. Three pictures of Zion: (1) her 28 THE BOOK OF ISAIAH future exaltation, 2:2-4; (2) her present idolatry, 2: 5 — 4: 1 ; (3) her eventual purification, 4: 2-6. Chapter 5. Isaiah's arraignment of Judah and Jeru salem: (1) parable of the vineyard, verses 1-7; (2) a series of six woes, verses 8-23; (3) first description of the Assyrian invaders, verses 24-30. Chapter 6. The prophet's inaugural vision and commission. Chapters 7 : 1 — 9 : 7. The prophecy of Immanuel ; history and prediction being intermingled. Chapters 9:8 — 10:4. An announcement to North Israel of impending ruin, with a refrain (9: 13, 17, 21; 10:4). Chapter 10:5-34. Assyria, the rod of Jehovah's anger. Chapter 11 : 1-9. The Messianic reign of ideal peace. Chapter 11: 10-16. The return of Israel and Judah from exile ; no more any rivalry between them. Chapter 12. A thanksgiving psalm of the redeemed nation. (The student should also designate in some way these sub divisions in the text of his Bible.) THIRD DAY— Chapters 13-23. Oracles of Judgment and Salvation, for the most part Concerning those Foreign Nations whose Fortunes Affected Judah and Jerusalem Chapters 13:2 — 14:23. The downfall of Babylon: (1) judgment upon the city, 13:2-22; (2) judgment upon the king, 14: 1-23. Chapter 14:24-27. The certain destruction of the Assyrian. Chapter 14:28-32. An oracle concerning Philistia. Chapters 15-16. An oracle concerning Moab. ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK 29 Chapter 17: 1-11. An oracle concerning Damascus and North Israel. Chapter 17: 12-14. The annihilation of Judah's ene mies. Chapter 18. A prediction concerning Ethiopia. Chapter 19. An oracle concerning Egypt. Chapter 20. Sargon's march against Egypt and Ethiopia. Chapter 21 : 1-10. An oracle concerning "the wilder ness of the sea" (Babylon). Chapter 21:11-12. An oracle concerning Seir (Edom). Chapter 21 : 13-17. An oracle concerning Arabia. Chapter 22:1-14. An oracle "of the valley of vision" (Jerusalem). Chapter 22:15-25. A philippic against Shebna, the comptroller of the palace. Chapter 23. An oracle concerning Tyre. (The student should continue to designate in his Bible these main subdivisions; also those which follow.) FOURTH DAY— Chapters 24-27. Jehovah's World- Judg ment, issuing in the Redemption of Israel Chapter 24: 1-13. Desolation of "the earth" and of "the city" (i.e., Judah and her towns). Chapter 24: 14, 15. The dawn of a better day. Chapter 24: 16-23. Premature songs of rejoicing; more judgment is coming. Chapter 25: 1-5. A hymn of thanksgiving, in which the prophet pleads for his people's deliverance. Chapter 25 : 6-8. "A feast of fat things" to all nations "in this mountain," when death and the sorrows of war have passed away. 30 THE BOOK OF ISAIAH Chapter 25: 9-12. A second hymn of thanksgiving, looking to the time when Jehovah, the long looked-for deliverer, will, come, and Moab's arrogance shall be laid low. Chapter 26: 1-19- A third hymn of thanksgiving, because the "strong city" (Jerusalem) has been re deemed, and life has issued from the dead. Chapters 26:20 — 27:1. An exhortation to God's people to hide themselves till God's judgment has shattered the world-powers. Chapter 27 : 2-6. A fourth hymn of thanksgiving, because deliverance from the enemy will be followed by national expansion. Chapter 27:7-11. Jehovah's discipline of Jacob has been for his good; the nations, on the contrary, have been punished and destroyed. Chapter 27: 12, 13. The children of Israel shall be gathered from Assyria and from Egypt to worship Jeho vah in Jerusalem. FIFTH DAY— Chapters 28-35. A Cycle of Prophetic Warnings against Alliance with Egypt, closing with a Prophecy Concerning Edom and a Promise of Israel's Ransom Chapter 28 : 1-6. The warning from Samaria. Chapter 28 : 7-22. The fate of the scoffing, dissolute politicians of Jerusalem. Chapter 28:23-29. A parable of comfort; God's judgments always proportionate to man's offense. Chapter 29: 1-8. Jerusalem's humiliation and subse quent deliverance. Chapter 29: 9-14. The people's spiritual stupidity. Chapter 29: 15-24. Exposure of a conspiracy with ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK 31 Egypt, followed by a graphic prediction of the ideal future. Chapter 30: 1-17. An emphatic denunciation of the alliance with Egypt. Chapter 30: 18-26. A brilliant picture of the Mes sianic age. Chapter 30:27-33. Jehovah's vengeance upon the Assyrian. Chapter 31. The folly of relying on Egypt; Jehovah will protect Jerusalem and utterly destroy the Assyrian. Chapter 82: 1-8. Another vivid picture of the Mes sianic age. Chapter 32:9-14. A rebuke to the women of Jeru salem. Chapter 32: 15-20. The blessedness of the Mes sianic future. Chapter 33. A woe pronounced upon an unnamed invader, followed by a promise of deliverance and the perfection of the kingdom of