For the Comfort of Zion: The Geographical and Theological Location of Isaiah 40-55 (Supplements to Vetus Testamentum)

Contents......Page 6
Preface......Page 12
Abbreviations......Page 14
Introduction......Page 18
1. History of Research......Page 20
2. Layout of the Monograph......Page 23
3. Terminology......Page 26
1. Authorship of Isaiah 40–55......Page 30
1.1.1. Isaiah 40:6–8......Page 31
1.1.2. Isaiah 42:24b; 45:15–17; 47:4; 48:16b; 53:1–12......Page 35
1.1.3. Isaiah 51:9–11, 17–21......Page 38
1.1.4. Isaiah 49:4, 5b; 50:4–11......Page 39
1.1.5. Conclusion......Page 41
1.2. A Female Author of Isaiah 40–55?......Page 43
1.3. A Temple-Singer Author of Isaiah 40–55?......Page 47
2. Geography and Date......Page 49
3. The Final Form of Isaiah 40–55: A Rhetorical Unity......Page 60
4. The Final Form of Isaiah 40–55: A Reading Drama......Page 64
5. Conclusion......Page 67
Introduction......Page 70
1. Life in Judah during the Exile: The Biblical Accounts......Page 71
2. Life in Judah: The Archaeologicaland Sociological Evidence......Page 75
3. The Literary Ability of the People of Judah......Page 82
4. Life in Babylon: The Textual Evidence......Page 85
5. Life in Babylon: The Archaeological Evidence......Page 90
6. Conclusion......Page 92
Introduction......Page 94
1. Methods in Comparative Studies......Page 95
2. Neo-Babylonian Imperialism......Page 96
3. Akkadian Influence in Isaiah 40–55: Loanwords and Literary Style......Page 101
3.1. Loanwords......Page 102
3.2. Akkadian Influence over the Language of Isaiah 40–55......Page 103
3.3. Isaiah 44:28–45:8 and the Cyrus Cylinder......Page 113
3.4. The “Self Predication” Formula......Page 115
3.5. The Trial Speeches......Page 121
3.6. Excursion:The Quality of the Hebrew Language of Isaiah 40–55......Page 122
3.7. Akkadian Influence—Conclusion......Page 123
4.1.The so-called Idol-Fabrication Passages......Page 124
4.1.1. Isaiah 40:18–20......Page 126
4.1.2. Isaiah 44:14......Page 130
4.2. Babylon in Isaiah 40–55......Page 133
4.2.1. Isaiah 44:24–25 and 47:12–15—Magic and Diviners......Page 134
4.2.2. Isaiah 46:1–4......Page 135
4.2.3. Isaiah 47......Page 140
4.2.4. Isaiah 48:14, 20......Page 143
5. Couleur Locale (Isaiah 44:27; 45:1–3)......Page 145
6. Conclusion......Page 147
Introduction......Page 148
1.1. Isaiah 41:8–10......Page 149
1.2. Isaiah 41:25......Page 151
1.3. Isaiah 43:1–7......Page 152
1.4. Isaiah 43:14......Page 155
1.5. Isaiah 45:13......Page 156
1.7. Isaiah 49:12......Page 158
1.8. Isaiah 49:17......Page 160
1.9. Isaiah 52:11......Page 161
1.10. Conclusion......Page 162
2.1. Isaiah 40:16......Page 163
2.2. Isaiah 43:23–24, 28......Page 164
3. Conclusion......Page 169
Introduction......Page 172
1. History of Interpretation: The Centrality of the Exodus Theme......Page 173
2. History of Interpretation: The Peripheral Character of the Exodus Theme......Page 177
3.1. Isaiah 40:3–5, 9–11......Page 185
3.1.1. The Return of the Exiles......Page 186
3.1.2. A Metaphorical Reading of Isaiah 40:1–11......Page 189
3.1.3. God’s Triumphant Return......Page 190
3.2. Isaiah 41:17–20......Page 193
3.3. Isaiah 42:10–16......Page 195
3.4. Isaiah 43:2......Page 198
3.5. Isaiah 43:16–21......Page 199
3.6. Isaiah 48:20–21......Page 201
3.7. Isaiah 49:7, 8–12......Page 203
3.8. Isaiah 49:24–26......Page 207
3.9. Isaiah 50:2–3......Page 208
3.10. Isaiah 51:9–16......Page 209
3.11. Isaiah 52:4–6......Page 212
3.12. Isaiah 52:10–12......Page 214
3.13. Isaiah 55:12–13......Page 215
4. Conclusion......Page 219
Introduction......Page 222
1. Personification and Historical Reality......Page 223
2. Metaphors and Geographic Setting......Page 225
3. Geography and Theology......Page 227
4. Outline of Chapters 7–9......Page 230
Introduction......Page 232
1. Isaiah 40:27......Page 233
2. Isaiah 41:8–16......Page 236
3. Isaiah 42:18–27......Page 237
4. Isaiah 43:1–7......Page 242
5. Isaiah 43:22–28......Page 243
6. Isaiah 44:1–5......Page 245
7. Isaiah 44:21–23......Page 248
8. Isaiah 45:4......Page 250
9. Isaiah 45:14–19......Page 251
10. Isaiah 45:25......Page 254
11. Isaiah 46......Page 255
12. Isaiah 48......Page 257
13. Isaiah 49:1–6......Page 262
14. YHWH, the God of Israel-Jacob(Isaiah 44:6; 45:15; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7; 49:26; 52:12; 55:5)......Page 265
15. Conclusion......Page 266
Introduction......Page 268
1.1. Zion-Jerusalem in Isaiah 40–55: Physical City or Symbol?......Page 269
1.2. Zion, a Symbol of the Exilic Community?......Page 276
1.3. Zion-Jerusalem, a Symbol of the Post-ExilicJudahite Community of Returned Exiles?......Page 280
2. Exegetical Overview......Page 282
2.1. Zion-Jerusalem as God’s People—Isaiah 40:1–2; 51:16, 22; 52:9......Page 283
2.2. Zion-Jerusalem as the Recipient of Comfort—Isaiah 51:3; 51:19; 54:11–17......Page 288
2.3.1. Isaiah 41:27......Page 293
2.3.2. Isaiah 52:7–9......Page 295
2.3.3. Isaiah 40:9......Page 296
2.3.1.1. Apposition: Zion, the Messenger of the Good News......Page 297
2.3.3.2. Genitive Construction: Zion as the Recipient of the Good News......Page 299
2.3.3.4. Conclusion......Page 302
2.3.4. Isaiah 44:26, 28......Page 303
2.3.5. Conclusion......Page 304
2.4.1. Isaiah 49:14–26......Page 305
2.4.2. Isaiah 50:1......Page 309
2.4.2.1. Excursion: Zion’s Children......Page 312
2.4.3. Isaiah 51:17–52:3......Page 313
2.4.4. Isaiah 54:1–10......Page 318
3. The Judahite Timbre of Zion’s Voice......Page 321
4. Conclusion......Page 326
1. The Servant......Page 328
1.1.The Servant and Zion-Jerusalem......Page 329
1.2. Geographical Information in the Servant Songs......Page 334
1.3.TheTheology Expressed by the Servant Within Isaiah 40–55......Page 335
1.4.The Portrayal of the Servant and the  of Lamentations 3......Page 338
2. The Prophetic Persona......Page 340
3. The Theology of God’s Voice in Isaiah 40–55 and Ezekiel......Page 344
5. Conclusion......Page 346
6. Excursus: Did Ezekiel and Isaiah 40–55 Influence Each Other?......Page 347
1. Isaiah 40:1–11—A Prologue......Page 350
2. Isaiah 40:1–11—A Literary Unit......Page 354
3.1. Isaiah 40:1–11—A Conglomeration of Themes from Isaiah 40–55......Page 356
3.2. A Corresponding Epilogue to Isaiah 40:1......Page 358
4. Exegetical Consequences......Page 360
5. Conclusion......Page 362
Introduction......Page 364
1. Inner-Biblical Textual Allusions......Page 365
2. Allusions in Isaiah 40–55 to Lamentations: History of Research......Page 366
3. Reading the Allusions to Lamentations through Judahite Eyes......Page 368
3.1. Comfort My People—Isaiah 40:1; 49:13 and 51:12......Page 369
3.2.1. Zion’s Abandonment and Restoration—Isaiah 49:14......Page 370
3.2.2. Zion’s Motherhood and her Children’s Return—Isaiah 49:17–33......Page 371
3.3. Jerusalem’s Starving and Dying Children—Isaiah 51:17–23......Page 373
3.4. The Return of the Exiles......Page 375
3.4.2. Isaiah 52:1, 11 and Lamentations 4:15–17......Page 376
4. Conclusion......Page 377
CONCLUDING REMARKS......Page 380
BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 384
SOURCE INDEX......Page 406
AUTHOR INDEX......Page 422
SUBJECT INDEX......Page 430