I S A I A H

This page is an unfinished work. Greater detail of the text and written explanations sure would be nice additions. Feedback is welcome at cormacmjones@gmail.com.

Not to be read on a narrow screen!

INTRODUCTION


THE BOOK OF ISAIAH 


PART Α. Isaiah’s Cosmic and Theological Vision (ch. 1–12)

A triple trident chiasmus (cf. Ex. 24)

PART Β. Against the Nations (ch. 13–23)

A triple trident ksiasmus

PART Χ. The Apocalypse of Isaiah (ch. 24–27)

A triad

PART Ο. Counsel in a Time of Assyrian Aggression (ch. 28–35)

An octave

PART Ω. Hezekiah overcomes Assyria and gives himself to Babylon (ch. 36–39)

A triad

PART Ϛ. God to rescue his servant Israel from Babylon (ch. 40–48)

An octave

PART Ζ. The suffering servant delivered to death (ch. 49–55)

An octave

PART Η. The acceptable year of the Lord, the day of recompense (ch. 56–66)

A ninefold chiasmus (fivefold chiasmus with nested fivefold chiasmus)

A classic octave structure overall, the Book of Isaiah is as impressive and inspiring in form as it is in content.

As an introduction, I’d like to take some time to write a little about the interior structures of the first two parts. PART Β. Against the Nations (ch. 13–23) is a little tricky to figure out, but it relates directly to what happens before it in PART Α. Isaiah’s Cosmic and Theological Vision (ch. 1–12). 

PART Α. takes the common fivefold chiastic structure and expands the second and fourth sections into three parts each. (An earlier instance of this pattern can be observed internal to Exodus 24.) I call this a “triple trident chiasmus” because the beginning, middle, and end (the Α, Χ, and Ω) function as a large framing trident with two smaller tridents within, on either side of its central prong (3 × 3 = 9). Like so:

--------- Αα. 

--------- Ββ. 

--------- Βχ. 

--------- Βο. 

--------------------------- αΧω. 

--------- Οβ. 

--------- Οχ. 

--------- Οο. 

--------- Ωω. 

As the gray lower-case letters suggest, however, this shape could also be contemplated as two fivefold chiasmi with an overlapping central element (5 - 1 + 5 = 9). The meaning of the text, I think, supports both formal interpretations. As we go forward, though, the double chiasmus shape is not going to help the reader perform the mental folds necessary to understand what Isaiah does next. PART Β. cannot be read as a double ksiasmus. It is rather to be thought of as a “triple trident ksiasmus.”

PART Β. takes the inverted parallel structure of a chiasmus and un-inverts it. This is the basic principle behind what a ksiasmus is; its two couplets around a center run directly parallel to each other instead of inversely parallel. If one were then to add a “triple trident” augmentation to a ksiasmus instead of a chiasmus, it would be the second and fifth sections that would expand into three parts each. The large framing trident would then consist of Α, Ξ, and Ο. Like so: 

--------- Αα. 

--------- Ββ. 

--------- Βξ. 

--------- Βω. 

--------------------------- αΞο. 

--------- Οο. 

--------- Ωβ. 

--------- Ωξ. 

--------- Ωω. 

Key for me to discern this pattern in PART Β. was recognizing that both Βω. and Ωω. pertain to maritime merchant cultures on either side of the Holy Land: Βω. to “beyond” Ethiopia, i.e., the Red Sea trade route east, situated to the south of the Holy Land; and Ωω. to Tyre of the Phoenicians, i.e., the Mediterranean trade route west, situated to the north of the Holy Land. Then Ββ. and Ωβ. parallel these sections’ references to sea ships by referring to inland water sources, in Moab and the Valley of Sion respectively. Then the topic of Israel’s unrighteous alliance with Damascus in Βξ. is balanced in Ωξ. with mention of an unfaithful steward in Jerusalem who is replaced.

To complete my confidence in this structure, I already liked Babylon and the desert for Α and Ο symbolism, respectively, but then I found Οο.’s internal double triad structure to be identical to Αα.’s. It all centers around Egypt in αΞο., which nation I believe serves as an image of death, and which section itself sports a beautiful triadic structure. So much for describing the outer literary form, which is in fact easy to do relative to the much loftier spiritual contemplation of the text, which I can perceive mentally but which for now I leave to my Greek symbols alone to express.


* 

N.B. How I parsed the text of the whole book of Isaiah has much in common with BibleProject’s presentation, for which see bibleproject.com/explore/video/isaiah/. It’s hard reading a large book from scratch with nothing to guide my understanding, so I’ll often use someone else’s outline as a crutch until my own vision of the text becomes clear (a process which occurs simultaneously from the text upwards and the general outline downwards). The external outlines I use normally aren’t especially good and don’t have to be. But for parsing Isaiah, a task executed in the first three weeks of Lent 2022, I used BibleProject as my crutch — and it proved unusually helpful!




GENERAL OUTLINE

An Octave Fractal

PART Α. Isaiah’s Cosmic and Theological Vision (ch. 1–12)

Αα. Hear, O heaven, and hearken, O earth (ch. 1)

Ββ. Jerusalem is ruined and Judea hath fallen (ch. 2–3)

Βχ. Seven women shall take hold of one man (ch. 4)

Βο. The song of the vineyard – a signal to the nations (ch. 5)

αΧω. The seraphs round about the throne of glory (ch. 6)

Οβ. Prophecy to Ahaz when Aram and Ephraim threatened Judah (ch. 7)

Οχ. Maher-shalal-hash-baz, and unto us a son is given (ch. 8–9:7)

Οο. God’s wrathful utility of Assyria and Israel (9:8–ch. 10)

Ωω. A rod out of the root of Jesse (ch. 11–12)

PART Β. Against the Nations (ch. 13–23)

Αα. The Oracle against Babylon (ch. 13–14)

Ββ. The Word against the Moabites (and their water sources) (ch. 15–16) 

Βξ. The Word against Damascus (and Israel their ally) (ch. 17)

Βω. Woe to the land of ships beyond the rivers of Ethiopia (ch. 18)

αΞο. The Oracle of Egypt (ch. 19–20)

Οο. The Oracles of the Desert and of Idumea (Edomite refugees in Arabia) (ch. 21)

Ωβ. The Word of the Valley of Sion (and its water sources) (22:1‑14)

Ωξ. Shebna the steward condemned and replaced by Eliakim (22:15‑25)

Ωω. The Word concerning Tyre (and their ships from Carthage) (ch. 23)

PART Χ. The Apocalypse of Isaiah (ch. 24–27)

Ϛ. The world laid waste by the glory of the Lord (ch. 24)

Ζ. The city of the Lord and an ode out of the night (ch. 25–26)

Η. God’s sword destroys the dragon, and his trumpet gathers Israel (ch. 27)

PART Ο. Counsel in a Time of Assyrian Aggression (ch. 28–35)

Α. The Lord’s chastisement a cause for hope (ch. 28)

Β. Against Ariel and those who honor with their lips; errant Jacob shall know understanding (ch. 29)

Χ. Against those seeking protection from Egypt (30:1‑26)

Ο. How the Lord’s wrath will defeat the Assyrians (and those who trust in Egypt’s horses) (30:27–ch. 31)

Ω. A righteous king shall reign in Sion; judgment in the wilderness, peace in the city (ch. 32)

Ϛ. Our deliverance was in a time of affliction — ye shall see a king with glory (ch. 33)

Ζ. Heaven rolled up like a scroll — the sword of the Lord is filled with blood (34:1‑7)

Η. A pure and holy way — to Sion with everlasting joy (34:8–ch. 35) 

PART Ω. Hezekiah overcomes Assyria and gives himself to Babylon (ch. 36–39)

Ϛ. Rabshakeh through Eliakim, Shebna, and Joach threatens Hezekiah’s trust in either Egypt or God (ch. 36)

Ζ. Counsel with Isaiah — and prayer to the Lord God of every kingdom — defeats the Assyrians (ch. 37)

Η. Hezekiah’s prayer extends his life; he shows his kingdom to Babylon (ch. 38–39)

PART Ϛ. God to rescue his servant Israel from Babylon (ch. 40–48)

Intro: Comfort my people; the voice crying in the wilderness; the glory of the Lord shall appear (40:1‑11)

Α. The Creator is beyond compare (40:12‑31)

Β. Israel is my servant, whom I have chosen from the nations (ch. 41)

Χ. I have put my Spirit upon Jacob my servant to be a light of the nations (ch. 42)

Ο. I will blot out the sins of Israel my servant, ridiculing the gods of the artificer (ch. 43–44)

Ω. God commissions Cyrus to turn the captivity of his servant Israel (ch. 45)

Ϛ. Repent from idols and return to God’s eternal counsel (ch. 46)

Ζ. Sit on the ground, O daughter of Babylon (ch. 47)

Η. The Lord God of Israel rescues his stubborn people from Babylon (ch. 48)

PART Ζ. The suffering servant delivered to death (ch. 49–55)

Α. From my mother’s womb he hath called my name (49:1‑11)

Β. Your sons shall be called back to you from among the nations (49:12‑26)

Χ. I gave myself to scourges, blows, and spitting (ch. 50)

Ο. Now I will comfort thee, O Sion (51:1‑16)

Ω. Awake: The cup of wrath to be taken from Sion and given to her afflicters (51:17–52:12)

Ϛ. He, without form or glory, bears our sins and is delivered to death (52:13–ch. 53)

Ζ. The barren widow has built for her a city of precious stone (ch. 54)

Η. Returning to the Lord like rain that has saturated the earth (ch. 55)

PART Η. The acceptable year of the Lord, the day of recompense (ch. 56–66)

Α. Keep judgment and do justice; the Spirit of the Most High grieves and heals (ch. 56–57)

Β. The house of Jacob’s unwittingly iniquitous way of fasting rebuffed by God (ch. 58)

α.  From iniquity to mercy through first-person plural repentance (ch. 59)

β.  Shine, shine, O Jerusalem; the glory of Lebanon shall come to thee (ch. 60)

Χ.                      χ.  The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me to declare the acceptable year of the Lord 

and the day of recompense (ch. 61)

ο.  A new name; as a bridegroom over a bride, so will the Lord rejoice over thee (ch. 62)

ω.  He that comes from Edom for the day of recompense and year of redemption (ch. 63–64)

Ο. My servants shall be called by a new name, but your name shall be left for loathing (ch. 65)

Ω. A general assembly in Jerusalem; a new heaven and earth and an everlasting seed (ch. 66)

DETAILED OUTLINES

An Octave Fractal

PART Α. Isaiah’s Cosmic and Theological Vision (ch. 1–12)

Αα. Hear, O heaven, and hearken, O earth (ch. 1)

intro (1:1)

α. My children have rebelled against me (1:2‑4)

β. Your land is desolate, your cities burned with fire (1:5‑9)

χ. Your sacrifices are worthless (1:10‑15)

o. Wash, be clean, and let us reason together if ye be willing (1:16‑20)

ω. I will purge thee completely and establish thy judges as before (1:21‑31)

Ββ. Jerusalem is ruined and Judea hath fallen (ch. 2–3)

intro (2:1)

α. Out of Sion shall go forth the Law to the nations (2:2‑4)

β. Everything high shall be brought low (2:5‑21)

χ. All the Lord will take away from Jerusalem (3:1‑5)

o. Brother shall not have raiment to rule (3:6‑15)

ω. The daughters of Sion stripped of their ornaments, thy favorite son slain (3:16‑26)

Βχ. Seven women shall take hold of one man (ch. 4)

ς. Only let thy name be called upon us, and take away our reproach (4:1‑2)

ζ. The remnant left in Sion shall be called holy (4:3‑4)

η. He shall come to Sion as cloud by day and fire by night (4:5‑6)

Βο. The song of the vineyard – a signal to the nations (ch. 5)

α. The song of the vineyard (5:1‑7)

β. Woe to the greedy and the besotten (5:8‑12)

χ. Hades hath taken my people captive (5:13‑17)

o. Woe to them that are wise in their own conceit (5:18‑24)

ω. A signal to the nations that are afar (5:23‑30)

αΧω. The seraphs round about the throne of glory (ch. 6)

ς. Six-winged seraph with coal from the altar (6:2‑7)

ζ. Isaiah sent to the people (6:8‑10)

η. As an acorn when it falls out of its husk (6:11‑13)

Οβ. Prophecy to Ahaz when Aram and Ephraim threatened Judah (ch. 7)

α. Aram (Syria) and Ephraim attack Jerusalem (7:1‑2)

β. Isaiah sent with son Shear-jashub to comfort Ahaz (7:3‑4)

χ. Aram’s evil counsel shall not abide (7:5‑9)

o. The sign of Immanuel, conceived of a virgin (7:10‑16)

ω. Assyria to be used as a hired razor (7:17‑25)

Οχ. Maher-shalal-hash-baz, and unto us a son is given (ch. 8–9:7)

ς. Maher-shalal-hash-baz: the coming flood of Assyrians (be conquered) (8:1‑10)

ζ. The Lord shall be thy fear; trust in Him; else be crushed, famine (8:11‑22)

η. Galilee in darkness: behold a light; to us a son is given; his government (9:1‑7)

Οο. God’s wrathful utility of Assyria and Israel (9:8–ch. 10)

α. God’s anger against Israel (9:8‑21)

β. Woe to them that write wickedness (10:1‑4)

χ. Woe to the Assyrians, just tools, despite their pride (10:5‑16)

o. The light of Israel shall be a fire devouring trees; a child shall write them (10:17‑19)

ω. For the faithful remnant of Jacob, their yoke shall be destroyed (10:20‑34)

Ωω. A rod out of the root of Jesse (ch. 11–12)

α. The Spirit of God shall rest upon him (11:1‑5)

β. The wolf shall feed with the lamb (11:6‑9)

χ. A root of Jesse shall arise to rule over the nations (11:10)

o. He shall gather the lost ones of Israel (11:11‑16)

ω. Sing praise to the name of the Lord (ch. 12)

PART Β. Against the Nations (ch. 13–23)

Αα. The Oracle against Babylon (ch. 13–14)

ς. The Lord and his warrior-giants are coming to destroy the world (13:1‑16)

ζ. Babylon shall be overthrown by the Medes like Sodom and Gomorrah (13:17‑22)

η. The Lord will give to Israel rest from servitude (14:1‑3)


ς’. Lamentation against the king of Babylon, who is likened to Lucifer (14:4‑23)

ζ’. The Lord’s purpose is to destroy the Assyrians, as all nations upon the earth (14:24‑27)

η’. Warning to Philistines: with asps the Lord of Sion will feed the poor (14:28‑32)

Ββ. The Word against the Moabites (and their water sources) (ch. 15–16) 

α. The word against Moab: by night it shall be destroyed (15:1)

β. Grieve, lament, weep; destruction and trembling; waters ruined (15:2‑9)

χ. Arnon be a shelter for the fugitives of Moab; a throne shall be established with mercy (16:1‑5)

o. Moab’s shame; more weeping (16:6‑12)

ω. The word of the Lord against Moab: in three years it shall be dishonored (16:13‑14)

Βξ. The Word against Damascus (and Israel their ally) (ch. 17)

α. Damascus shall be a ruin; no longer a remnant of Syrians (17:1‑3)

β. Jacob shall be reaped like grain or berries (17:4‑6)

χ. Then they shall trust in the Holy One of Israel and turn away from their trees (17:7‑8)

o. Displaced like the Amorites before Israel; lesson about planting (17:9‑11)

ω. Many nations like much water shall drive him away (17:12‑14)

Βω. Woe to the land of ships beyond the rivers of Ethiopia (ch. 18)

α. By sea, messengers sent beyond Ethiopia to a hopeless downtrodden nation (18:1‑2)

β. The rivers of the land shall be inhabited (18:3)

χ. The Lord: my city as noonday light, a cloud of dew (18:4)

o. Pruning a grape cluster and leaving it for the birds and beasts (18:5‑6)

ω. A hopeful downtrodden nation shall send presents to Sion (18:7)

αΞο. The Oracle of Egypt (ch. 19–20)

ς. Civil war, drought, and poor leaders leave workers in the lurch (19:1‑15)

α. The Lord shall cause an Egyptian civil war, cruel kings (19:1‑4)

β. The Egyptian river shall dry up (19:5‑7)

χ. Fishermen, linen weavers, and brewers shall be grieved (19:8‑10)

ο. The princes of Tanis are fools; where are their wise men? (19:11‑12)

ω. The princes of Memphis lead Egypt astray; there’ll be no work (19:13‑15)


ζ. In that day (19:16‑25)

α. The Egyptians shall be as women fearing the name of the Jews (19:16‑17)

β. Five cities speaking Canaanite will swear by the Lord of hosts (19:18)

ξ. An altar and a pillar to the Lord; he shall send a man to save them (19:19‑22)

ο. Egyptians shall be conquered by the Assyrians and serve them (19:23)

ω. Israel shall be third with Egyptians and Assyrians; a blessing (19:24‑25)


η. Naked Isaiah a sign to Egypt and Ethiopia, whom Assyria will lead captive (ch. 20)

ς. When Assyrians take Ashdod, Isaiah told to go naked and barefoot (20:1‑2)

ζ. Meant for Egyptians and Ethiopians as a three-year warning: Assyrians will expose them (20:3‑4)

η. Egyptians will be ashamed they trusted the Ethiopians; how shall we be saved? (20:5‑6)

Οο. The Oracles of the Desert and of Idumea (Edomite refugees in Arabia) (ch. 21)

ς. A whirlwind from the desert; Elamites; transgression overwhelms me (21:1‑4)

ζ. Prepare to see mounts; call Uriah to the watch-tower (21:5‑8a)

η. Babylon is fallen, is fallen (21:8b‑10)


ς’. Seir, if you want, you can dwell in the forest or in Dædan (21:11‑12)

ζ’. Thæman to feed the refugees of war (21:14‑15)

η’. Kedar shall fall in a year (21:16‑17)

Ωβ. The Word of the Valley of Sion (and its water sources) (22:1‑14)

α. Why is the city panicking? (22:1‑3)

β. Just leave me alone; perplexity wanders in the valley (22:4‑5)

χ. Elamites gather for battle (22:6‑7)

o. They uncover the secrets of the city, see that there is water and a fortified wall (22:8‑10)

ω. Sourcing water from the ancient pool, but not crediting God for it; the Lord calls for lamentation, but the people feast like there’s no tomorrow (22:11‑14)

Ωξ. Shebna the steward condemned and replaced by Eliakim (22:15‑25)

α. Shebna the steward makes himself a high sepulcher in rock (22:15‑16)

β. The Lord shall remove and destroy him (22:17‑19)

ξ. Eliakim to be given the stewardship (22:20‑21a)

o. He shall be made a sure father to Jerusalem (22:21b‑24)

ω. The man in the sure place shall be removed (22:25)

Ωω. The Word concerning Tyre (and their ships from Carthage) (ch. 23)

α. No more ships from the Citians; Phœnice’s traders are harvested (23:1‑3)

β. The sea is infertile; till thy land (23:4‑11)

χ. If you go to the Citians or Chaldeans, they too have fallen to the Assyrians (23:12‑13)

o. Tyre shall be as the song of a harlot for seventy years (23:14‑16)

ω. After seventy years, Tyre shall be restored, her trade holy to the Lord (23:17‑18)

PART Χ. The Apocalypse of Isaiah (ch. 24–27)

Ϛ. The world laid waste by the glory of the Lord (ch. 24)

α. The Lord shall lay waste the world; hierarchies overturned (24:1‑3)

β. Mourning: a curse on the earth because the inhabitants have changed the covenant (24:4‑13)

χ. The remnant shall rejoice in the glory of the Lord, in the isles of the sea (24:14‑16)

o. Fear, a pit, and a snare — a fall without rise (24:17‑20)

ω. God shall imprison the host of heaven and kings of earth, and will reign from Sion (24:21‑23)

Ζ. The city of the Lord and an ode out of the night (ch. 25–26)

α. O Lord God, I will sing to thee, who hast done an ancient plan (25:1)

β. The cities of the poor shall bless thee (25:2‑5)

χ. A feast for all nations on the mountain; this is the Lord (25:6‑12)

o. Let the righteous nation, meek and lowly, enter the city in Judea and trample the lofty and strong (26:1‑9a)

ω. Out of the night my spirit waketh; the dead shall rise (Canon Ode Five) (26:9b‑21)

Η. God’s sword destroys the dragon, and his trumpet gathers Israel (ch. 27)

α. God’s mighty sword destroys the dragon (27:1)

β. A strong city shall fall and become stubble (27:2‑5)

χ. Israel bears fruit; as he slew, shall he be slain? (27:6‑8)

o. Jacob shall end idolatry, flocks shall lie down to rest (27:9‑11)

ω. With a great trumpet God gathers Israel from Assyria and Egypt to the holy mountain in Jerusalem (27:12‑13)

PART Ο. Counsel in a Time of Assyrian Aggression (ch. 28–35)

Α. The Lord’s chastisement a cause for hope (ch. 28)

α. The hirelings of Ephraim are the crown of pride, the Lord the crown of hope and glory (28:1‑6)

β. The priest and the prophet are drunk and should expect affliction, hope (28:7‑13)

χ. Because the princes made a pact with death, the Lord will lay a cornerstone to believe on (28:14‑16)

o. Judgment to be for hope; the Lord shall rise up as a mountain of ungodly men (28:17‑22)

ω. As a farmer sowing poppy seeds, so the Lord shall chasten and thou shalt rejoice (28:23‑29)

Β. Against Ariel and those who honor with their lips; errant Jacob shall know understanding (ch. 29)

α. Alas for the city Ariel, which David besieged; a devouring flame of fire (29:1‑6)

β. The wealth of the nations as a dream; a sealed book to their prophets (29:7‑12)

χ. This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; I will remove them (29:13‑14)

o. As clay of the potter; the deaf shall hear the words of the book; the lawless man hath come to nought (29:15‑21)

ω. Jacob that erred in spirit shall know understanding (29:22‑24)

Χ. Against those seeking protection from Egypt (30:1‑26)

α. Woe to the apostates who seek protection from Pharaoh, a disgrace (30:1‑5)

β. The Oracle of the Quadrupeds in the Desert (Egyptians help in vain) (30:6‑7)

χ. Write in a book: the people’s disobedience shall be as a city wall suddenly falling (30:8‑14)

o. Turn, mourn, and be saved; yet ye flee upon horses and shall be easily routed (30:15‑17)

ω. The Lord your Judge will have mercy; good things will come by way of affliction (30:18‑26)

Ο. How the Lord’s wrath will defeat the Assyrians (and those who trust in Egypt’s horses) (30:27–ch. 31)

α. The fiery wrath of God like rushing water divides to confounds the nations (30:27‑28)

β. The voice of the Lord will smite the Assyrians, with drums and harp (why a pipe?) (30:29‑33)

ξ. The Lord shall bring his hand upon them that go to Egypt and trust in horses (31:1‑3)

o. Like a lion’s roar, as birds flying, so shall the Lord of hosts descend and defend Sion (31:4‑5)

ω. Renounce your idols and the Assyrian shall fall (31:6‑9)

Ω. A righteous king shall reign in Sion; judgment in the wilderness, peace in the city (ch. 32)

α. A righteous king shall reign in Sion, and they shall no more trust in men (32:1‑5)

β. Fools shall be foolish, the wicked iniquitous (32:6‑8)

χ. Rise up, ye rich women, be pained, yet with hope (32:9‑12)

o. The land and city shall be barren until the Spirit shall come upon you from on high (32:13‑15)

ω. Judgment in the wilderness, peace in the city (32:16‑20)

Ϛ. Our deliverance was in a time of affliction — ye shall see a king with glory (ch. 33)

ς. The seed of the rebellious is gone to destruction, but our deliverance was in a time of affliction (33:1‑6)

ζ. Now will I arise, saith the Lord, now will I be glorified; Who will tell you of the eternal place? (33:7‑16)

η. Ye shall see a king with glory; behold the city Sion; their sin shall be forgiven them (33:17‑24)

Ζ. Heaven rolled up like a scroll — the sword of the Lord is filled with blood (34:1‑7)

ς. Let earth hear: wrath upon all nations, their corpses cast forth, the mountains wet with blood (34:1‑3)

ζ. All the powers of the heavens shall melt, the sky rolled up like a scroll (34:4)

η. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, from heaven/Bosor to Idumea (34:5‑7)

Η. A pure and holy way — to Sion with everlasting joy (34:8–ch. 35) 

ς. Day of judgment for Sion, a sulphurous desolation safe for demons and donkey-centaurs, hedgehogs and deer (34:8‑17)

ζ. Be glad, ye thirsty; the glory of Lebanon given to the desert of Jordan (35:1‑7)

η. A pure, holy way; the dispersed shall be redeemed and come to Sion with everlasting joy (35:8‑10)

PART Ω. Hezekiah overcomes Assyria and gives himself to Babylon (ch. 36–39)

Ϛ. Rabshakeh through Eliakim, Shebna, and Joach threatens Hezekiah’s trust in either Egypt or God (ch. 36)

α. Rabshakeh comes to take Jerusalem, is met by Eliakim, Shebna, and Joach (36:1‑3)

β. Rabshakeh: trust in Egypt or in the Lord, but I will destroy this land (36:4‑10)

χ. Eliakim, Shebna, and Joach tell him not to speak Jewish, nor to them on the wall (36:11‑12)

o. Rabshakeh in Jewish: Don’t let Hezekiah say God will deliver you; no gods have (36:13‑20)

ω. Eliakim, Shebna, and Joach are silent as commanded and report to Hezekiah (36:21‑22)

Ζ. Counsel with Isaiah — and prayer to the Lord God of every kingdom — defeats the Assyrians (ch. 37)

α. Repentant Hezekiah sends Eliakim and Shebna to Isaiah, who relays the Lord’s prophecy of the Assyrian king’s assassination 

(37:1‑7)      

β. Rabshakeh, attacked by Ethiopians, sends threatening letter to Hezekiah (37:8‑13)

χ/ξ. Hezekiah’s prayer to the Lord God of every kingdom, who made heaven and earth (37:14‑20)

o. Isaiah sent to Hezekiah with a word of condemnation for Sennacherib (37:21‑35)

ω. An angel of the Lord slays the Assyrian camp; Sennacherib assassinated in Nineveh (37:36‑38)

Η. Hezekiah’s prayer extends his life; he shows his kingdom to Babylon (ch. 38–39)

ς. Hezekiah’s life extended fifteen years after compunction (38:1‑8)

ζ. The Prayer of Hezekiah king of Judea (38:9‑22)

η. Everything shown to Babylon, who will take it and make Hezekiah’s children eunuchs in their kingdom 

(ch. 39)   

PART Ϛ. God to rescue his servant Israel from Babylon (ch. 40–48)

Intro: Comfort my people; the voice crying in the wilderness; the glory of the Lord shall appear (40:1‑11)

Α. The Creator is beyond compare (40:12‑31)

α. Who measures heaven and earth? Who knows the mind of the Lord? Not the nations (40:12‑17)

β. To whom have ye compared the Lord? The artifice of images (40:18‑20)

χ. Will ye not know/hear? God circles earth and appoints princes as nothing (40:21‑24)

o. To whom have ye compared me? The hosts on high he calls by name (40:25‑27)

ω. Hast thou not known/heard? He gives strength to the hungry, sorrow to those not suffering (40:28‑31)

Β. Israel is my servant, whom I have chosen from the nations (ch. 41)

α. Who raised up righteousness from the east? I God, the first and to all futurity, I AM. (41:1‑4)

β. The nations saw, and feared; the artificer hath become strong (41:5‑7)

χ. Israel is my servant, I have chosen thee (41:8‑9)

o. Fear not, all thine opponents shall perish; I thy God hold thy right hand (41:10‑16)

ω. Your judgment draweth nigh, from the north and from the east; but I will comfort Jerusalem (41:17‑29) 

α. I will not forsake the thirsty (41:17)

β. I will open waters and plant trees (41:18‑20)

χ. Your judgment draweth nigh — a challenge to the nations’ gods (41:21‑24)

ο. I have raised up ones from the north and east to trod you down (41:25‑26)

ω. I will comfort Jerusalem; the idols of the nations are dumb (41:27‑29)

Χ. I have put my Spirit upon Jacob my servant to be a light of the nations (ch. 42)

α. Jacob is my servant; I have put my Spirit upon him (42:1‑4)

β. I have called thee in righteousness to be a light of the nations (42:5‑7)

χ. I am the Lord God; the new things will come to pass (42:8‑9)

o. Sing a new hymn to the Lord; the wilderness shall give glory to God; bringing the blind by a way unknown 

(42:10‑16)

ω. The shame of graven images; God gives sinners over to plunder and spoil (42:17‑25)

Ο. I will blot out the sins of Israel my servant, ridiculing the gods of the artificer (ch. 43–44)

α. I have redeemed thee, given thee Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sheba; if thou go through fire, thou shalt not be burnt (43:1‑7)

α. I that made thee have redeemed thee, O Israel (43:1)

β. You can pass through water and fire and not be harmed (43:2)

χ. I have made Egypt and Ethiopia thy ransom, and given Sheba for thee (43:3)

ο. Thou hast become glorious; I have loved thee; I will give princes for thy life (43:4)

ω. I will gather him from the ends of the earth, I that made him (43:5‑7)


β. The nations can’t be witnesses; be my witnesses, and I witness (43:8‑17)

α. The nations cannot bring forth witnesses and be justified (43:8‑9)

β. Be my witnesses, and I am a witness (43:10)

χ. I am God the only Savior; I have saved and reproached (43:11‑12a)

ο. Ye are my witnesses, and I am the Lord God (43:12b‑13)

ω. The Chaldeans shall be bound in ships; I will make a way in the sea (43:14‑17)


χ. I will do new things: I will blot out your sins; I will put my Spirit upon thy seed (43:18–44:8)

α. I will do new things, and ye shall know them (43:18‑19a)

β. I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry land (43:19b‑21)

χ. I ask not for sacrifices but confession of sins, and I will blot them out (43:22‑28)

ο. I will give water to the thirsty; I will put my Spirit upon thy seed (44:1‑5)

ω. I am the first, and I am hereafter; no one else knows what I know (44:6‑8)


o. Ridiculing graven gods by examining the artificer (44:9‑20)

α. All that form a god shall be withered; let the deaf be ashamed (44:9‑11)

β. The artificer sharpens iron, fashions with an axe, is hungry, weak, thirsty (44:12)

χ. The artificer chooses wood, makes the beauty of man, sets it in a house (44:13)

ο. The artificer’s wood is used also for heating and baking so that he eats and is comforted (44:14‑17)

ω. They are blinded and do not perceive in their heart the meaning of the artificer (44:18‑20)


ω. God hath had mercy upon Israel, blotting out sin and bidding Cyrus (44:21‑28)

α. Do not forget, Israel, I have formed thee to be my servant (44:21)

β. I have blotted out thy sin (44:22)

χ. Rejoice, heavens; sound the trumpet, earth; God hath redeemed Israel (44:23‑24)

ο. Who else confounds the wise and dries up the abyss? (44:25‑27)

ω. Who bids Cyrus to be wise and orders Jerusalem built, and the holy house (44:28)

Ω. God commissions Cyrus to turn the captivity of his servant Israel (ch. 45)

α. The God of Israel commissions Cyrus his anointed (45:1‑3)

β. I call you for the sake of Israel, but you do not know me, the only God (45:4‑7)

χ. The Creator shall turn the captivity of his people with a king of righteousness — and shall the clay talk back to the potter? 

(45:8‑13)        

o. Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sheba shall be thy servants (45:14‑17)

ω. Turn to me and be saved, ye that escape the nations; graven images do not save (45:18‑25)

Ϛ. Repent from idols and return to God’s eternal counsel (ch. 46)

α. Bel and Nabo have fallen and are burdens unable to help (46:1‑2)

β. O Jacob, from the womb and infancy to old age I have borne you; I am he (46:3‑4)

χ. The idols whom you bear on your shoulder are inert materials (46:5‑7)

o. Repent and return; my counsel shall stand, and I do what I plan (46:8‑11)

ω. Hearken, senseless ones, far from righteousness; I have given salvation in Sion to Israel for glory (46:12‑13)

Ζ. Sit on the ground, O daughter of Babylon (ch. 47)

α. Sit down; they shame shall be uncovered (47:1‑4)

β. Sit down in woe; I gave you my people, and you were not merciful (47:5‑7)

χ. Thou who art secure shall be made a childless widow for saying, I am and there is no other (47:8‑10)

o. Destruction shall come upon thee, and thou shalt not know (47:11)

ω. Stand with your flammable astrologers, and sit on coals of fire (47:12‑15)

Η. The Lord God of Israel rescues his stubborn people from Babylon (ch. 48)

α. Hear, O Jacob, who mentions the name of the Lord God but not in truth (48:1‑2a)

β. I told you of old what should be, lest ye credit your idols, but ye have not known (48:2b‑7)

χ. For my own sake I the Creator will sell and rescue thee, out of love to thee (48:8‑16)

o. If you had followed the way I had shown you, you would have had peace (48:17‑19)

ω. Depart Babylon and say, The Lord hath delivered his servant Jacob (48:20‑22)

PART Ζ. The suffering servant delivered to death (ch. 49–55)

Α. From my mother’s womb he hath called my name (49:1‑11)

α. After a long time it shall come to pass, saith the Lord (49:1‑4)

β. Saith he that formed me from the womb: it is a great thing for thee to be called my servant (49:5‑6)

χ. Sanctify him that despiseth his life — kings shall worship him (49:7)

o. I have formed thee in a day of salvation (49:8‑9a)

ω. I will make every mountain a way and every path a pasture (49:9b‑11)

Β. Your sons shall be called back to you from among the nations (49:12‑26)

α. These shall come from far, from the north and west; rejoice (49:12‑13)

β. Will a woman forget her child? The Lord will not forget thee (49:14‑17)

χ. Look at them all, thy sons whom thou hast lost are come to thee (49:18‑21)

o. Nations will bring thy children back; kings shall bow down to thee (49:22‑23)

ω. I will deliver thy children, and they that afflicted thee shall eat their own flesh (49:24‑26)

Χ. I gave myself to scourges, blows, and spitting (ch. 50)

α. Why did I call, and there was none to hearken? (50:1‑3)

β. The Lord God gives me the tongue of instruction (50:4‑5)

χ. I gave myself to scourges, blows, and spitting (50:6)

o. I set my face as a solid rock; the Lord will help me (50:7‑9)

ω. Let him who feareth the Lord hearken to the voice of his servant; behold, ye kindle a fire 

(50:10‑11)            

Ο. Now I will comfort thee, O Sion (51:1‑16)

α. Hearken and look, now I will comfort thee (51:1‑3)

β. My law, judgment, righteousness, and salvation shall go forth (51:4‑5)

χ. My righteousness and salvation shall be forever (51:6‑8)

o. Awake as of old; come to Sion with joy (51:9‑11)

ω. I am he that comforteth thee; where is the wrath of him that afflicteth thee? (51:12‑16)

Ω. Awake: The cup of wrath to be taken from Sion and given to her afflicters (51:17–52:12)

α. Awake and stand up, Jerusalem; thou hast drunk the cup of wrath (51:17‑20)

β. I will take the cup of wrath from thy hand and give it to them that afflicted thee (51:21‑23)

χ. Awake, Sion, put on thy glory; sit down, Jerusalem, put off the band of thy neck (52:1‑2)

o. My name is blasphemed among the nations because of them that went to Egypt to be taken by the Assyrians (52:3‑5)

ω. The Lord as a season of beauty upon the mountains hath delivered Jerusalem, going in advance and bringin up the rear 

(52:6‑12)       

Ϛ. He, without form or glory, bears our sins and is delivered to death (52:13–ch. 53)

α. The servant’s face without glory; kings shall keep their mouths shut (52:13–53:1)

β. Without form or glory, he bears our sins, and by his bruises were we healed (53:2‑5)

χ. As a sheep to the slaughter because of our iniquities (53:6‑9)

o. The Lord takes away his travail and shows him light; he bears our sins (53:10‑11)

ω. Therefore he shall inherit many because he died and bore their sins (53:12)

Ζ. The barren widow has built for her a city of precious stone (ch. 54)

α. Rejoice, thou barren; more are the children of the desolate (54:1‑3)

β. Thou shalt no more at all remember the reproach of thy widowhood (54:4‑5)

χ. Called by the Lord not as a deserted woman; a little wrath but then everlasting mercy 

(54:6‑8)      

o. The covenant of Noah remembered: no more wrath; the mountains shall not depart (54:9‑10)

ω. A city of precious stone for thee, built in righteousness, a refuge for strangers (54:11‑17)

Η. Returning to the Lord like rain that has saturated the earth (ch. 55)

α. Your soul shall feast on good things (55:1‑2)

β. An everlasting covenant with David; nations shall flee to thee (55:3‑5)

χ. Seek the Lord and call upon him; he will draw nigh and abundantly pardon your sins (55:6‑7)

o. My word as the rain that comes down and does not return until it saturates the earth (55:8‑11)

ω. The mountains and trees shall rejoice; cypress and myrtle instead of bramble and nettle 

(55:12‑13)

PART Η. The acceptable year of the Lord, the day of recompense (ch. 56–66)

Α. Keep judgment and do justice; the Spirit of the Most High grieves and heals (ch. 56–57)

α. Blessed is the man that keeps judgment; hope for the eunuchs and strangers (56:1‑8)

β. They are all blinded; dumb, insatiable dogs (56:9‑11)

χ. The just man has perished, and no one lays it to heart (57:1‑2)

o. Against those serving them beyond the borders and not rather fearing God (57:3‑13)

ω. The Spirit of the Most High grieves on account of sin, then heals and comforts (57:14‑21)

Β. The house of Jacob’s unwittingly iniquitous way of fasting rebuffed by God (ch. 58)

α. The house of Jacob, thinking itself righteous, wonders why God ignores their fast (58:1‑3a)

β. Nay, in your fast you smite the lowly, a fast I have not chosen (58:3b‑5)

χ. Rather than fasting thus, show mercy to the unfortunate (58:6‑9a)

o. Then you will be satisfied, and your desert places will be built up (58:9b‑12)

ω. So don’t do your pleasure on the holy days, and you will be fed with Jacob’s heritage (58:13‑14)

α.  From iniquity to mercy through first-person plural repentance (ch. 59)

α. Your iniquities separate between you and God (second-person plural) (59:1‑3)

β. There is no true judgment; crushing an egg and finding a basilisk; thoughts of murder (third-person plural — LXX) (59:4‑11a)

χ. Repentance in first-person plural (LXX) (59:11b‑14a)

o. The Lord sees there is no judgment; he defends and establishes them with his mercy (third-person plural) (59:14b‑18)

ω. The wrath of the Lord for Sion’s sake; My Spirit upon thee shall never fail (third-person plural/second-person singular) (59:19‑21)

β.  Shine, shine, O Jerusalem; the glory of Lebanon shall come to thee (ch. 60)

α. For the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee (60:1‑3)

β. Thy children gathered from afar (60:4‑9)

χ. The glory of Lebanon, with the cypress, and pine, and cedar together (60:10‑14)

o. All your materials will be upgraded, and injustice shall be no more 

(60:15‑18)      

ω. The Lord shall be thy sun and moon, and everlasting light, to inherit the land forever (60:19‑22)

Χ.                           χ.  The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me to declare the acceptable 

year of the Lord and the day of recompense (ch. 61)

ς. To heal the broken heart, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to give sight to the blind (61:1‑3)

ζ. Ye shall eat the strength of nations and inherit the land a second time (61:4‑10a)

η. Robe of salvation, garment of joy; a bridegroom’s miter, a bride’s ornaments; as the earth putting forth her flowers 

(61:10b‑11)        

ο.  A new name; as a bridegroom over a bride, so will the Lord rejoice over thee (ch. 62)

α. I will not rest until the nations see thy glory and call thee by a new name 

(62:1‑2)      

β. Thou shalt no more be called Forsaken or Desert but My Pleasure and Inhabited (62:3‑4)

χ. As a bridegroom and bride; with watchmen ever on thy walls 

(62:5‑7)       

o. They that have gathered the grain and grapes shall eat and drink them 

(62:8‑9) 

ω. Go through my gates; they shall be called holy and redeemed, and not forsaken (62:10‑12)

ω.  He that comes from Edom for the day of recompense and year of redemption (ch. 63–64)

α. Saving judgment from Edom with red garments, full of trodden grape (63:1‑3)

β. The day of recompense; the Lord is a good judge to the house of Israel 

(63:4‑9)           

χ. But they disobeyed; where is he that makes himself a glorious name? 

(63:10‑14)    

o. Thou art our Father, O Lord; return that we may inherit a small part of thy holy mountain (63:15–64:2)

ω. We have sinned; be not very wroth with us; our house hath been burnt with fire 

(64:3‑11)     

Ο. My servants shall be called by a new name, but your name shall be left for loathing (ch. 65)

α.α. I appear to them that ask not for me; I reach out to an idolatrous people (65:1‑5)


β. I will not be silent until I have recompensed their sins (65:6‑7)

β.       χ. I will save them as a grape-stone in a cluster (65:8)

ο. The seed of Jacob and Judah shall inherit my holy mountain (65:9‑10)


(65:11‑12)        

ω/α. Those who forget and feed the devil shall be delivered to the sword 

β. My servants shall eat, but ye shall hunger (65:13‑14)

χ.            χ. Your name a loathing, the Lord will destroy you; for my servants a 

new name, who shall be blessed on earth (65:15‑16a)

ο. They shall bless the true God and forget the former affliction (65:16b)

ω/α. A new heaven and a new earth; they shall not remember the former 

(65:17‑19)       


β. No child dieth, no old man incomplete (65:20)

ο.       χ. They shall build and plant and enjoy the fruits of their labors (65:21‑22)

ο. Their seed shall not be cursed but blessed (65:23)


ω.ω. Wolves and lambs shall feed together; lion and serpent shall eat chaff and earth (65:24‑25)

Ω. A general assembly in Jerusalem; a new heaven and earth and an everlasting seed (ch. 66)

α.α. Heaven and earth and my throne and footstool; what house will you build me? (66:1‑2a)


β. Whom will I respect but the humble and meek who tremble at my word? (66:2b)

β.       χ. Transgressors who sacrifice according to their own ways will be recompensed (66:3‑4)

ο. Ye that tremble at the Lord’s word, speak to the haters, that the Lord be glorified (66:5)


ω/α. Voice × 3: from the city, from the temple, of the Lord rendering recompense (66:6)

β. She escaped travail and brought forth a male, a nation born at once (66:7‑9)

χ.            χ. A general assembly in Jerusalem drinks consolation from her breast (66:10‑11)

ο. A river of peace upon them; I shall comfort as a mother (66:12‑14)

ω/α. With the fire of the Lord all the earth shall be judged (66:15‑17)


β. I am going to gather all nations and tongues to come and see my glory (66:18‑19)

ο.       χ. Priests and Levites brought from the nations to Jerusalem (66:20‑21)

ο. As the new heaven and earth remain before me, so shall your seed continue (66:22‑23)


ω.ω. A spectacle outside: carcasses of transgressors with undying worm and fire unquenched (66:24)

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