[Introductory note: The book of Isaiah is an appalling mess. I’ve done my best to avoid repetition and to insert labels as to who’s speaking to whom. I have also changed between 1st, 2nd and 3rd person for ease of skimming so it’s often different in the original. But this is just my interpretation, sometimes informed by translations, sometimes for other reasons. Often it’s not clear so much of it will be wrong. Still, the aim is to give the gist and boy will you get it!]
Prophecies about Judah, Jerusalem (Chapters 1-13)
[YHWH speaks to Judah through Isaiah, who prophecies during kings Uzziah to Hezekiah:] “You have rebelled and sinned. An ox knows its master but you don’t know me and will be overrun. Your sacrifices are as futile and abhorrent as Sodom’s. Repent: though your sins may be like crimson I will turn them white as snow. Jerusalem is a city of injustice, its punishment is coming. In the future though, nations will look to Jerusalem, beat their swords into plowshares and make war no war. I’m preparing a day against the arrogant.” [YHWH to idolaters]: “Stop glorifying lowly man! Your idols will only be smashed and I will confuse nations. I’ll strip your fine jewelerry and turn it to rot. The survivors will bask in my glory.” [YHWH about Israel]: “I lovingly tended a vineyard but it only gave bad grapes. I will remove my protection so others will trample it. Great houses and hypocrites will be overturned, drunkards will rejoice no more in their feasts. I will raise up a terrible invader nation.”
Isaiah sees a vision of YHWH on his throne surrounded by seraphim, one of which purifies Isaiah’s lips with a piece of burning coal. He volunteers to bring a message of repentance to people: 10% will repent and remain as the stump for a new tree. The Arameans team up with Israel to fight Judah [see Kings]. YHWH tells Isaiah to reassure Ahaz: they will not succeed and Israel will go into exile. As a sign, a young woman will conceive, the child will be called Imanuel (God is with us) and by the time he’s old enough to know good from bad, Judah will be safe and prosperous. [Yes, this is the origin of the virgin birth concept.] YHWH gets Isaiah to conceive a son and call him Maher-shalal-hash-baz (hurry to spoil) to mean that Israel be exiled to Assyria as punishment. Isaiah is told to trust YHWH alone and that all who perform divination will die.
[YHWH:] “Those who were in darkness have seen light and broken off their yoke. A child has been born to us and authority given to him [Jewish interpretation: Hezekiah, see Kings] as token of a peace without limit throughout the kingdom that it may be established now and forevermore. Still, I will let Israel’s foes triumph: punishing Israel once wasn’t enough. They haven’t repented. Their leaders will be devoured. You who oppress the poor, how will you survive my calamities? I charged Assyria with punishing Israel, they want to attack Judah too, overstepping themselves. Does an axe boast, as opposed to him who wields it? I will stop Assyria with fury. A sprout shall grow from the Davidic line. He will rule righteously, the wolf will dwell with the lamb, the kid with the lion. There will be no evil. Nations will seek this king’s counsel, praising my name. The Jews will be redeemed and assembled from around the world. Enmity between Judah and Israel will cease.”
Prophecies about gentile nations (Chapters 13-23)
YHWH is mustering an army against Babylon that will ravage the earth. The day of YHWH is coming. All will be dark. People will become rarer than fine gold. Babylon will be attacked by the Medes who won’t pity the infants. Babylon will have no inhabitants except ostriches and jackals. Israel will be their masters and will sing how YHWH has broken the rod of tyrants. [YHWH to Babylon]: “Sheol [the underworld] is getting ready for you. Worms/maggots will be your bed andblanket.” [YHWH to the prince of Babylon according to Jewish interpretations, or Satan according to Christian ones]: “How have you fallen from heaven, oh Lucifer [morning star]! You thought to ascend, instead you’re brought to the depths of Sheol. They will ask of your corpse: is this he who made the world tremble, who never released prisoners?” King Ahaz dies. [YHWH to Philistia]: “Don’t rejoice because their oppressor is dead. From the stock of a snake sprouts an asp. Your end will come.” [YHWH to Moab]: “Your lands are ruined and sacked, your people wailing, your rivers filled with blood. Don’t be haughty. Let the Israelite refugees find asylum against their despoiler [Assyria?]. When you’re destroyed, the throne of David will be established with a just ruler. All have heard of your arrogance; all your wonderful vineyards and towns will be ruined.”
Damascus and Aram will become a heap of ruins. On that day [of YHWH’s judgement], Israel will only have one gleaning left, like a beaten olive tree. Then, the people will no longer care about their idols. [Isaiah to Israel]: “You have forgotten YHWH, hence all your troubles. The nations rage around us like waters but eventually YHWH will drive them away.” [Isaiah to Nubia]: “YHWH is calm about his ascendancy. He will trim away all the twigs leaving little. All nations will bring tribute to YHWH in Jerusalem.” [Isaiah about Egypt]: “Its idols will tremble before YHWH. YHWH will turn Egyptians against each other, give them a ruthless king, bring drought and calamity. Egypt’s sages are stupid for falsely placating their king and failing to predict YHWH’s judgement. During judgement, Egyptians will be like women, trembling and fearful. Eventually, Egypt will swear loyalty to YHWH. He will accept and heal them, they will serve YHWH along with Assyria, with Israel acting as intermediary.” YHWH tells Isaiah to go barefoot for 3 years as a symbol that the king of Assyria will drive off the Egyptians and Nubians barefoot.
Isaiah is frightened and trembling at night. YHWH shows him a vision of riders coming from the desert to proclaim that Babylon and her idols have fallen. [Isaiah gives a vision to Jerusalem]: “You have surrendered without a fight, your soldiers fled, civilians captured. A desperate siege occured where houses were pulled down to fortify your wall. But instead of laments you were mad in rejoicing, saying ‘let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die’.” [Isaiah to Tyre]: “Howl, ships, seafarers and coast dwellers! Where has all the splendour gone? YHWH has decreed the destruction of your stronghold. Tyre will be forgotten for 70 years. After this, YHWH will remember you and you’ll resume playing the harlot with other nations but your profits will go to YHWH.”
YHWH’s future judgement, some stories about Isaiah (Chapters 24-39)
[Isaiah]: “YHWH will put to waste both slave and master, lender and borrower. A curse consumes [will consume?] the earth because people have violated the covenant. Towns are empty, desolate, whoever flees falls in a pit and whoever climbs out of it into a trap. All leaders will be punished and locked up. YHWH, by doing this you are an avenger for the poor and opressed. YHWH will gather everyone in, destroy death and wipe away all tears. Israel will enter Jerusalem once more and ask YHWH to improve their well-being since they no longer worship idols and he has forgiven them. YHWH will make the earth disclose how much blood has been shed into it. He will punish Leviathan [symbol of chaos]. Israel shall blossom, its sin purged away. YHWH will beat the people out from the exile like grains.”
[Isaiah to Israel]: “A storm will overthrow the drunkards of Ephraim. Jerusalem’s rulers will consider themselves spared but YHWH’s justice is like a measuring line; he will besiege Jerusalem. Then suddenly its tide will turn and all enemies vanish like in a dream. Judgement will reveal all those who have schemed. Oh, disloyal sons who took refuge in Egypt without asking YHWH: this will result in your shame!” [YHWH to Isaiah:] “Write all these as a record of a nation who [shamefully] tells its prophets: do not prophecy truth to us, only delusions. I am waiting to pardon Israel at the first sign of repentance. If they’d only meet me halfway the land will become alive again! Those who relied on Egypt have forgotten that Egyptians are only men, not gods. Return to me and reject idols, then your enemies will fall. Then, ministers will rule with justice; no more will a knave be called a gentleman.”
[Isaiah to Israel] “Lament, careless women! Israel’s soil soon will be overgrown until the redemption. Those who have betrayed will themselves be betrayed. Highways will be desolate, travellers gone, but whoever has lived uprightly will have his livelihood assured. [In the redemption]: Israel won’t be subjected to foreigners speaking their gobbledygook language. Even the lame will sieze foreigners’ booty. YHWH is angry at the nations and has consigned most of them to the slaughter (especially Edom). The land will drink blood (with even the animals being killed) and will be a waste, with only jackals and demons living there. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened. A highway will appear that no unclean person will pass there, and the Israelites will return to Jerusalem shouting in gladness.” Next is a retelling of king Sennacherib’s siege of Jerusalem [see 2Kings, heading “Chapters 14-20”] with a few extra bits (Hezekiah prays to YHWH to implore him to relent, and makes a poem of thanksgiving when he recovers from his illness).
Deutero-Isaiah: Israel’s redemption, suffering servant (Chapters 40-55)
[YHWH to Israel]: “Your sin is expiated, I comes to make things right. Who can know of my mighty plan let alone stop it? Who’d be so foolish as to liken me to an idol? Why would you complain I am ignoring you? Let the nations approach me and state their case; I will take revenge on them. But you are my servant who I’ve chosen, who will show my spirit to the other nations. I will support him, uplifting the poor and turning desert into ponds. I go out like a warrior, having kept silent too long. I will shame all idolaters. Who is as blind as my servant, who is now despoiled and imprisoned? I caused this, since my servant sinned against me and did not obey my commandments. Israel, I’ve singled you out by name. Because you’re precious to me I’ve given peoples in your stead. I will gather you from afar; I’m the only god and you are my witness. Truly you’ve burdened me with your sins. So I’m only redeeming you for my own sake, not yours. The makers of idols work for nothing as they themselves will testify [during judgement]. Can a statue do anything? A craftsman makes his idol from the same material he uses for fuel; he burns one and worships the other, how dumb is that? I can turn the words of prophets to nothing, yet I confirm the word of my servant and say that judah will be restored and the temple rebuilt.”
[YHWH to King Cyrus of Persia, who eventually ended the exile]: “I will give you victory and treasures for the sake of my servant Israel. You will know I’m YHWH: the only god, who makes both good and bad. Those who’d argue with me are like clay criticising the potter. You will plunder Egypt, Nubia and the Sabaites. When my name is proclaimed, all nations will swear loyalty to me, vindicating Israel.” [YHWH to Israel]: “I will be with you till you’re old. The idolaters waste their resources on making idols who cannot answer them; yet I have summoned a man from the east [ie. King Cyrus] to bring about my purpose.” [YHWH to Babylon]: “You will be dethroned. I used you to punish Israel but you showed no mercy at all and so will be punished. Your nakedness will be exposed. Let’s see if your spells and star-gazers will help you now!” [YHWH to Israel]: “I know how stubborn you are. Hence I warned you about my punishments long beforehand: that idol-worship will be your downfall. I know you’ve been treacherous from the beginning but I won’t destroy you for the sake of my name. I instruct you only for your own benefit. If only you’d follow my commandments! You’d be rich and numerous. Flee from Babylon: I’m redeeming you.”
[Isaiah to nations on behalf of Israel?]: “YHWH appointed me while I was still in the womb and said ‘you are my servant, Israel’. [YHWH to Israel]: “You will be a light onto the nations, who will honour me for choosing you as the covenant people. Zion says I’ve forgotten her. Can a woman disown her baby? The children you thought you’d lost will yet crowd your houses, kings attending to them, licking the dust of your feet. I will make your opressors eat their own flesh.” [Isaiah on behalf of Israel?]: “YHWH roused me, I offered my back to the floggers. My vindicator YHWH is at hand to help me.” [YHWH to Israel]: “Those who pursue justice, look to Abraham your forefather. He was one man but I made his descendents a nation, so too will I restore Zion. Even if heaven melts away, my triumph will remain. Fear not the insults of men. As I slew the primeval beasts, so will I help the exiled return to Zion. Do not fear your opressors.” [YHWH to Jerusalem]: “Arise! You have been utterly destroyed due to my wrath. Who will console you? Yet you’ll never drink from my wrath again. That cup will be given to your enemies. The uncircumcised will never enter you again. My name is now reviled but Israel will learn it and shout for joy.” [YHWH to exilees]: “Keep the laws of purity because if you have vessels for the Temple you’ll be able to take them back. You will not flee into Zion in haste but with dignity.”
[YHWH about Israel]: “My servant will prosper. Because of him kings will be silenced. He has grown by YHWH’s favour like a tree.” [Unclear address]: “He was despised, suffering, diseased, yet he was bearing our sins. By his bruises we were healed. He was submissive, not opening his mouth. He was killed through the sin of my people. His grave was set among the wicked.” [YHWH about Israel]: “For this, I will give him the masses as his spoils.” [Isaiah to Israel]: “Shout for joy, barren woman! Enlarge your tent for your offspring will dispossess nations and repopulate desolate towns. You will forget the shame of your widowhood. YHWH has called you back. He has forsaken you for a while but will bring you back with love.” [YHWH to Israel]: “I will make your foundations of precious stones. I myself create instruments of havoc, therefore I assure you they won’t succeed against you. Every foreign-speaker who sues you, you will defeat. All who are hungry, come buy food even without money. Let the sinner turn back to my and be forgiven. My plans are better than human plans and always come to pass.”
Trito-Isaiah: messianic/end-time prophecies (Chapters 56″“66)
[YHWH to Israel]: “Happy is the man who does what’s right and keeps the Sabbath. Even a eunuch or foreigner who does this will retain my favour. The temple will be open for all people. Come, wild beasts, and devour the leaders for all of them just seek their own advantage! You are the offspring of adulterers and harlots! You kill children; your portion will be with the idols who won’t save you. Sound the horn to tell each other of your sins. You’re all scrupulous with your fasts and you wonder why I pay them no heed. Because on the same day of the fast, you’ve opressed your labourers and been wicked! Is this the kind of fast I desire? No, I want the opressed to go free, for you to share your bread with the hungry. Then will I guide you and the ancient ruins will be repaired: if you genuinely keep my sabbaths and don’t just look to your affairs.” [Isaiah to Israel]: “YHWH is not powerless to save: it was your sins which have delayed it. Nothing is just in the legal system, everyone weaves a spider’s web. You know this is why vindication has been delayed. YHWH then saw that nobody else would put things right.”
[Isaiah to Israel about messianic era]: “All nations have gathered around you, their riches flowing to you. They worship at the Temple. Foreigners rebuild its walls, kings serve you. Any nation that refuses has perished. What was once copper is gold. There’s no more violence. You no longer need the sun and moon: YHWH lights everything. You will possess the land forever. For the sake of Jerusalem I will not be silent until victory is complete. Nevermore will it be called desolate, or its grain be given to enemies. YHWH’s clothing is red because he trampled the nations in rage, being troubled by Israel’s troubles.” [Israel to YHWH]: “Don’t be angry with us forever. The temple is burnt, will you remain silent?” [YHWH replies]: “I constantly helped a sinful, ungrateful nation. I won’t destroy everyone, only the wicked who will be hungry while my servants eat. I am creating a new world of endless joy. Never again will there be weeping in Jerusalem; someone who dies at 100 will be considered young. Will I bring the birth stool and shut the womb? [ie. Now that redemption is in motion it won’t be stopped.] I will console you like a mother consoles her son. I will come in judgement like a flame. Those who [falsely?] purify themselves, those who eat pork will perish together. But the righteous will come see my glory along with all the nations. Every new moon and sabbath all living things will prostrate themselves before me. They will see the eternally-devoured corpses of those who rebelled against me, and it will be a horror for all.”
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