Book of Isaiah
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Old Testament Books of the Old Agreement common to all Christians
Additional Books (common to Catholics and Orthodox)
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The Book of Isaiah (Hebrew: ספר ישעיה, Sefer Yeshaya) is a book of the Hebrew Bible. It contains many prophecies about the Israelites and their enemies.
Until the 12th century CE it was believed that this book was written entirely by Isaiah. [1] Isaiah lived in the Kingdom of Judah in the second half of the 8th-century BCE. A single scroll of Isaiah dated from the second century BCE, contains the whole book with no division between sections. [2] By the 18th century CE some scholars began to believe that only the first part of this book was written by Isaiah himself.[3]This is based partly on changes in style between sections of the book. Skeptical scholars doubt that Isaiah could have predicted future events so accurately. Isaiah lived 200 years before King Cyrus, yet the book mentions Cyrus by name. [4] Regardless of authorship, Isaiah can be summarized in three sections, based on the content and style.
Contents
[change | change source]First Isaiah
[change | change source]First Isaiah (Ch. 1–39) begins with the vision of Isaiah about the judgement of Yahweh on Judah, Jerusalem, and the nearby lands, because they have sinned. In this time, there were four kings: Uzziah, Jotham,[page needed] Ahaz,[page needed] and Hezekiah. It also has guaranteed rewards for those who stay faithful.
Second Isaiah
[change | change source]Second Isaiah (Ch. 40–55) details how Yahweh plans to deliver and comfort Israel, including the Suffering Servant who will suffer for others in order to bring forgiveness. Cyrus, the King of Persia, is also said to be the Anointed (Hebrew: מָשִׁיחַ) who will free the Israelites from exile in Persia.
Third Isaiah
[change | change source]Third Isaiah (Ch. 56–66) focuses on the rebuilt Temple as a "house of prayer for all peoples"[5] and calls for maintaining social justice and observing the Sabbath.
Importance
[change | change source]In Judaism
[change | change source]Isaiah was one of the most popular works, from the building of the Second Temple (c. 515 BCE) to its destruction by the Romans (70 CE).
The "shoot [which] shall come out from the stump of Jesse"[6] is mentioned in Jewish literature that often interpreted it as a reference to a coming Davidic Messiah.The Songs of the Suffering Servant in Second Isaiah (Ch. 42; 49; 50; 52), which are often considered significant, are about the Suffering Servant whom Yahweh delights to crush for others but ultimately will reward for becoming a sin sacrifice.[7]
In Christianity
[change | change source]Christians often interpret some passages in Isaiah, specifically those about the Suffering Servant, as prophecy about the Crucifixion of Jesus. It was even sometimes called "the Fifth Gospel."[8] The earliest Christians interpreted Isaiah 52:13–53:12,as a prophecy of the death and victory of Jesus. In the Book of Acts, a high official from Ethiopia was reading this passage. Philip the Evangelist told him that the person referred to was Jesus. This led to his baptism as a Christian. [9] Jesus himself claimed that He was the fulfillment of Isaiah 61ː1-2.[10] Matthew's Gospel quotes Isaiah 7ː14 from the Greek Old Testament as predicting that Jesus would be born of a virgin. [11]. All four gospels quote Isaiah 40:3-5 [12] [13][14][15] as referring to the preaching of John the Baptist. Overall there are more than 50 New Testament references to the Book of Isaiah. Seven or more New Testament authors refer to Isaiah.[16]
Influence in society
[change | change source]The book has contributed to Western culture. Handel's Messiah has many lyrics from it. [17] Quotes from it are found in everyday speech. Isaiah 40ː3 uses the phrase "a voice crying in the wilderness". This has become an idiom for a person who speaks for an unpopular cause. [18]. Beating swords into plowshares (Isaiah 2ː4) is used by groups who want to end war. The United Nations has adopted this motto.[19]
Related pages
[change | change source]- Lilith (referenced in Isa. 34:14)
- ↑ https://www.christianpublishers.org/post/how-many-isaiahs-a-question-of-prophetic-authorship-and-unity-in-the-book-of-Isaiah
- ↑ https://biblehub.com/q/why_do_scholars_think_isaiah_has_multiple_authors.htm
- ↑ "First Isaiah". Yale Bible Study. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ https://evidenceunseen.com/old-testament/difficulties/authorship-of-isaiah,
- ↑ "Bible Gateway passage: Isaiah 56:7 - New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2026-06-16.
- ↑ "Bible Gateway passage: Isaiah 11:1 - New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2026-06-16.
- ↑ The exact meaning of Isaiah 53:10 is uncertain. In the Masoretic Text, it reads: "And Yahweh desired to crush him; he made him sick. When you make his soul a guilt offering, he will see offspring, he will prolong days, and the will of Yahweh succeed through him." However, the Septuagint reads: "And the Lord desires to purify him away from the affliction. If you offer concerning sin (i.e., if you make a sin offering), your soul will see long-lived offspring. And the Lord desires to remove (goes into v. 11) from the suffering of his soul." It's likely that the Septuagint translators and the Masoretic scribes used different sources and, as a result, produced different texts. The Great Isaiah Scroll mostly agrees with the Masoretic Text here, but not entirely, so they probably use sources that are closer yet still different.
- ↑ https://catholicstarherald.org/the-old-testament-book-known-as-the-fifth-gospel/
- ↑ Acts 8ː26-39.
- ↑ Luke 4:17–21
- ↑ Matthew 1ː23
- ↑ Matthew 3:3
- ↑ Mark 1:3
- ↑ Luke 3:4-6
- ↑ John 1:23
- ↑ https://www.jesuswalk.com/isaiah/a5_nt_quotations.htm
- ↑ https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/the-scripture-passages-of-handels-messiah/
- ↑ https://idiompedia.com/letter/a/a-voice-crying-in-the-wilderness/
- ↑ https://crossidiomas.com/beat-ones-swords-into-plowshares/