Guide to Isaiah
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The first Isaiah, the one the book is traditionally attributed to, was a courtier and advisor in the court of King Hezekiah of Judah and several of his predecessors. It deals extensively in the repercussions of Judah's involvement in numerous wars and alliances in the area, as well as predictions of a Jewish Messiah to come.
Isaiah 7:14 contains the infamously disputed verse "Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the עלמה shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel." To this day, the question of whether the Biblical term 'almah above refers to a "young woman" or "girl" as in modern Hebrew or to a "virgin" (properly betulah in Hebrew) remains a rather divisive issue in Biblical translations. The word is rendered παρθενος ("virgin") in the Septuagint, leading to a curious ambiguity -- if the Septuagint indeed maintains an older textual tradition than the commonly accepted Masoretic text, wtf does this verse actually mean anyway?
The second Isaiah, who takes over after Chapter 39, writes of the eventual restoration of a fallen Israelite nation and does not actually identify himself. The point at which the two manuscripts were combined is unknown; the two had been combined by the time of the Septuagint and the later Qumran scrolls.
1980's Christian metal band Stryper often referred to Isaiah 53:5 on their album covers.
The text of The Messiah by Handel is taken from Isaiah, and regardless of your religious beliefs is a sweet piece of composition.
| Guide to the Bible | ||
|---|---|---|
| Torah: Genesis - Exodus - Leviticus - Numbers - Deuteronomy Old Testament History: Joshua - Judges - Ruth - Samuel (1 & 2) - Kings (1 and 2 Kings) - Chronicles - Ezra and Nehemiah - Esther Old Testament Wisdom: Job - Psalms - Proverbs - Ecclesiastes - Song of Solomon Major Prophets: Isaiah - Jeremiah - Lamentations - Ezekiel - Daniel Minor Prophets: Minor Prophets
The Gospels: Matthew - Mark - Luke - John Acts: Acts Pauline Epistles: Romans - 1 & 2 Corinthians - - Galatians - Ephesians - Philippians - Colossians - Thessalonians - 1 & 2 Timothy - Titus - Philemon General Epistles: Hebrews - James - 1 & 2 Peter 1, 2 & 3 John - Jude Revelation: Revelation Selected apocrypha: Gospel of Judas - Gospel of James - Gospel of Mary - Gospel of Philip - Gospel of Thomas - Nag Hammadi texts | ||
